Four cases of the COVID-19 UK variant have been found in Pima County, said Pima County Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen during a briefing this afternoon.

Pima County Health Department has been tracking genomic sequencing of positive COVID-19 PCR tests (aka the nasal swab test). They send a random sample of those positive PCR tests to the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Flagstaff for sequencing, Cullen said.

This process takes up about three to four weeks from the collection and procession of the sample to getting a positive result and then sending it to a lab like TGen, where the genetic sequencing takes place. In other words, the variant has been in Pima County for at least three to four weeks since the sample was collected, Cullen said.

According to the CDC, this variant, first detected in the U.S. in late December 2020, spreads more easily and quickly than other variants. Some experts in the U.K. reported the variant may be associated with an increased risk in death, but this finding has not been confirmed.

“It's not to make the community frightened, but it is to remind the community that COVID-19 is a deadly disease,” said Cullen. “It has significant morbidity and mortality and the way we protect ourselves right now is to do the three W's, to abide by the recommendations that we've given.”

When asked if the uptick in hospitalizations for COVID-19, may be related to the variant, Cullen could not be sure of a causal relationship, but said they will monitor both the spread of the variant and the increase in hospitalizations.

Cullen said Pima County has administered a little over 330,000 vaccines. Roughly 209,000 people have received the first dose and around 134,000 are fully vaccinated.

Cullen said daily vaccinations vary from about 5,000 to 9,000, with the Tucson Convention Center currently averaging around 1,400 to 1,500 and sometimes delivering above 2,000 doses, while the UA POD’s goal is around 3,500 to 4,000 vaccines a day.

Pima County Expands Eligibility for 55+ and Frontline Essential Workers

Pima County will expand eligibility to those 55 and older and as well as frontline essential workers, defined by Cullen as “someone who needs to work with the public and are routinely less than six feet for more than 15 minutes in those situations.”

Pima County is expanding its current COVID-19 vaccination eligibility to frontline essential workers and people 55 and older.

Front-line essential works are defined as people who work in-person, onsite and in close proximity—within six feet—with the public and co-workers and work in the following industries:

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Food and Agriculture
Manufacturing
Grocery/Convenience Stores (and Carnicerias)
Restaurants/Bars
U.S. Postal Service
Public transit (buses, light rail, Uber, Lyft, taxis)

Those eligible are able to begin applying for appointments at 9 a.m. Friday, March 12. The Pima County Health Department notes many appointments scheduled at the large county-supported sites will be set for April 2021 at the earliest.

“This is our biggest group of newly eligible people so far and we understand that people will be very eager to register for an appointment as this phase opens up,” Pima County Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen said. “The challenge will be trying to get the vaccine to the most vulnerable people in this group as so many register for their spot in line.”

WASHINGTON – As many as 1.5 million Arizona children could benefit from an expansion of the child tax credit that would mean monthly checks to parents of up to $300 per child if approved by Congress this week.

The expansion is a little-discussed portion of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration’s sweeping pandemic relief bill that could win final approval from the House Wednesday.

Besides expanding the size of the benefit from the current $2,000 per child to as much as $3,600, the plan would turn what is now a tax credit into a regular monthly check, a major change that one advocate said could “really put a dent in child poverty.”

“There have been estimates that the child tax credit expansion will actually cut poverty for Black children by 52%, Hispanic children by 45% and Indigenous children by 61%,” said Alexandra Cawthorne Gaines, vice president of the Center for American Progress. “That is not insignificant.”

Supporters said the change would also benefit the economy by putting money directly into the hands of parents, who are expected to spend it on food, clothes, housing and other necessities.

Pima Animal Care Center is encouraging pet owners to vaccinate their pets after two dogs scuffled with a coatimundi that's now under quarantine for rabies observation.

One of the dogs was not current with its vaccinations so it, too, will be quarantined.

“It’s never fun to have to tell a pet owner about the required quarantine,” said Monica Dangler, Interim Director of Animal Services. “Then, we have to tell them about the costs of taking care of their pet while on that quarantine. We don’t like this part of the job.”

Rabies vaccines are required by law because domestic pets can contract rabies and distemper if they encounter infected wildlife. Pets can be held for up to 120 days to determine whether they've been infected.

“All of this stress and difficulty can be avoided by keeping your pet up-to-date on their vaccinations," said Christina Snow, Animal Protection Services manager. No dog should have to live in a kennel for four months. Please vaccinate your animals.”

If your domestic animal comes in contact with wildlife, take your animal to the vet and get a rabies booster. Then call Animal Protection at (520) 724-5900 and press option 4.

WASHINGTON – The White House had a message Wednesday for migrants who are flocking to the southern border in hopes of getting into the U.S. – “this is not an invitation, the border is not open.”

The message came as part of a multipoint plan of aid, diplomacy and policy that a Biden administration official said aims to stem migration at the source by improving conditions in Central American countries through aid programs.

It also comes as apprehensions at the southern border have jumped in recent months and the number of unaccompanied migrant minors in Customs and Border Protection custody nearly doubled in the past week, to 3,200 children.

“President Biden has made clear from Day 1 that he wants to change our immigration system,” said Roberta Jacobson, a former U.S. ambassador to Mexico who is serving as a special assistant on southern border issues.

“Doing so means truly building back better, because we can’t just undo four years of the previous administration’s actions overnight,” she said at a White House news conference.

But as the White House was outlining its plan Wednesday, Republican lawmakers from border states called for a return to the Trump administration’s get-tough immigration policies, blaming a recent border surge on Biden’s reversal of those policies.

With 1,835 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases topped 830,000 as of Thursday, March 11, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County, which reported 141 new cases today, has seen 110,931 of the state’s 830,465 confirmed cases.

With 60 new deaths reported today, a total of 16,464 Arizonans have died after contracting COVID-19, including 2,285 deaths in Pima County, according to the March 11 report.

A total of 879 coronavirus patients were in the hospital as of March 10 That’s roughly 17% of the number hospitalized at the peak of the winter surge, which reached 5,082 on Jan. 11. The summer peak was 3,517, which was set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent lowest number of hospitalized COVID patients was 468, set on Sept. 27, 2020.

The number of people visiting emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms has bumped up this week, with 1,186 people visiting ERs on March 10 with COVID symptoms. Still, that number is less than half of the record high of 2,341 set on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. That number had peaked during the summer wave at 2,008 on July 7, 2020; it hit a subsequent low of 653 on Sept. 28, 2020.

A total of 250 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on March 10, which is roughly 21% of the record 1,183 ICU patients set on Jan. 11. The summer’s record number of patients in ICU beds was 970, set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent low was 114 on Sept. 22, 2020.

House of Representatives passes $1.9 trillion COVID relief package

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $1.9 trillion COVID relief package, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk.

The legislation passed on a mostly party-line vote, with no Republicans supporting the package and just one Democrat, Maine Rep. Jared Golden, voting against it.

Southern Arizona Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ03) said many Americans were still struggling a year into the pandemic.

“Our friends and loved ones have died, millions remain unemployed, our children are missing critical in-person learning opportunities, and countless small businesses have shuttered,” Grijalva said. “The American Rescue Plan recognizes these traumas and direct funds to put money in the pockets of those most impacted, safely return our children to in-person learning, and get shots in the arms of everyone in the country so that we can end the pandemic once and for all. A crisis of this magnitude warrants an equal response, and this legislation gets our families, workers, and small businesses the relief they deserve.” For details on the legislation, click here.

How to get a vaccine

To find out if you are eligible for a vaccine, visit the Arizona Department of Health website.

While supplies remain limited, Pima County is providing vaccination shots to people 65 and older as well as educators, first responders and healthcare workers. Those who qualify in Pima County’s 1B priority group of eligible vaccine recipients can register for a vaccine at www.pima.gov/covid19vaccineregistration or by calling 520-222-0119.

The county plans to expand eligibility to those 55 and older as well as frontline workers once officials estimate that 55% of the currently eligible population has been vaccinated.

A state-run vaccination site at the University of Arizona was not accepting first-dose appointments as of Thursday, March 11. As the state-run POD, or point of distribution, registrations at the UA vaccination site will go through ADHS’s website. When appointments become available, you can make them at pod vaccine.azdhs.gov, and those who need assistance can call 1-844-542-8201. More details here.

Some local pharmacies are now receiving vaccine doses. To find one near you, visit the ADHS website.

Get tested: Pima County has free COVID testing

Pima County is continuing to offer a number of testing centers around town.

You’ll have a nasal swab test at the Kino Event Center (2805 E. Ajo Way) and the Udall Center (7200 E. Tanque Verde Road).

The center at the northside Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road, involves a saliva test designed by ASU.

Schedule an appointment at these or other drive-thru or pop-up sites at pima.gov/covid19testing.

The University of Arizona’s antibody testing can determine if you have had COVID and now have antibodies. To sign up for testing, visit https://covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu/home.

—with additional reporting from Austin Counts, Christina Duran, Jeff Gardner and Mike Truelsen

WASHINGTON – The House gave final approval Wednesday to the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill, a sweeping measure that will directly touch almost every Arizonan and will send billions in aid to the state.

Republicans assailed the American Rescue Plan Act as a wasteful, partisan measure and Wednesday’s vote reflected that, with every Republican and one Maine Democrat voting against the bill. Arizona lawmakers followed suit, splitting down party lines on the bill.

“Americans need targeted, immediate relief from COVID-19, not $1.9 trillion added to the national debt to pay for partisan wish list items and other provisions that won’t take effect until years from now,” Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, said in a prepared statement Wednesday.

But while Lesko said the “people of Arizona and America deserve better,” supporters of the bill said it fills an urgent need.

“Our friends and loved ones have died, millions remain unemployed, our children are missing critical in-person learning opportunities and countless small businesses have shuttered,” Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Tucson, said in a statement released by his office. “A crisis of this magnitude warrants an equal response, and this legislation gets our families, workers, and small businesses the relief they deserve.”

President Joe Biden said he will sign the bill Friday, clearing the way for $1,400 individual stimulus payments, increased jobless benefits, tax credits for children, school and health funding and support for businesses, among other measures.

In any other year, the boys’ basketball teams from Marana, Ironwood Ridge, Marana Mountain View, Amphi and Flowing Wells would all be headed to the state tournament. But this is the Year of the Pandemic, and not only are all five not going, NOT ONE of those teams is going. It’s an awful shame and it can be argued that it’s either nobody’s fault or the fault of a whole lot of people, many of whom have absolutely nothing to do with high-school sports.

Here in Arizona, high school basketball season generally starts up right after Halloween, with the first games being played the week of Thanksgiving. This season, things were initially pushed back to early January. But when the New Year arrived, the virus was raging. The Arizona Interscholastic Association, acting on health guidelines, initially canceled the winter sports season (basketball, wrestling and soccer).

After a public uproar, the AIA reluctantly relented, but went with strong COVID protocols, some of which called for the complete shutdown of programs if there was an outbreak. Teams would have to play at least 10 games to be considered for state. And then the AIA added one more thing for this season only: a reduction in the number of teams that advance to postseason play. The bigger-schools classes (6A, 5A, and 4A) have, for many years, had 24 teams advance to the playoffs. This year, that number was cut to 16.

The compressed season went on, with cancellations and re-scheduling all over the place. (The Ironwood Ridge girls played three games the first week of February, then shut down their season for good. On the girls’ side, Mountain View, Canyon Del Oro, and Marana managed to squeeze in nine, 10, and 11 games, respectively, with none coming close to going to state.)

The boys’ teams from Ironwood Ridge, Mountain View, and Marana sputtered along, with each facing hurdles ranging from roster reductions to complete shutdowns. Marana, for example, went two weeks in the middle of the season with no practice, games or contact of any kind. Those missed games would prove to be crucial. (Sierra Vista Buena played an unprecedented double-header the last day of the season to reach the 10-game threshold and advance to state.)

Heading into the final week of the regular season, Mountain View and Ironwood Ridge were both in the Top 16 of the Power Points, with Marana sitting at No. 18, within striking range. In an average season, the Power Points formula utilized by the AIA is a travesty. This year, it proved to be a total abomination. If any of the three aforementioned teams could win out that last week, they’d go to state.

Marana had four games scheduled in the final week—two relatively easy games on Monday and Friday sandwiched around vital contests, one at Ironwood Ridge and a home game with rival Mountain View. The Tigers had come out of the two-week layoff in mid-February and immediately had to face Mountain View at the Mountain Lions’ place. Mountain View won a tight one, but Marana bounced back and won their next four.

Heading into that final week, Tigers Coach Sean Roebuck was guardedly optimistic. However, right before the start of that crucial week, his team had played a game at Sunnyside and, after the game, a Sunnyside kid had tested positive. Due to the protocols, Roebuck was left with almost no varsity players. He had to bring up some kids from the freshman and JV teams. They squeaked out an overtime win at CDO, but then got clobbered the next night at Ironwood Ridge.

A couple days later, Roebuck got word that some of his quarantined players had been cleared to play. This did not sit well with people from Mountain View. The Mountain Lions had severely damaged their chances earlier in the week with an inexplicable loss to 3-11 Casa Grande. Now they were missing some players and, all of a sudden, Marana was almost whole.

The game was to be played in Marana’s older, smaller Alumni Gym because the big gym was being used for a boys’ volleyball game. Even with following the tight COVID protocols on fan attendance, there was a significant number of people in the stands. Well before the tipoff and then into the game, several Mountain View fans verbally expressed their displeasure with the fact that Marana had an almost-complete roster. It was…unpleasant. Marana won by 30.

(I asked one Mt. View booster—and Marana alum—if he thought that Roebuck would ever cheat. Silence. Then I asked, “And if he were going to cheat, why didn’t he do it against Ironwood Ridge the other night?” Louder silence.)

While all the Marana-Mountain View drama was unfolding, all Ironwood Ridge had to do was beat 4-9 Flowing Wells to put themselves in great position to go to state. You guessed it: Flowing Wells 62, Ironwood Ridge 58.

Marana won the next night, finished the turbulent season 8-4, and moved up to No. 18 in the Power Points. Ironwood Ridge, Mountain View and Flowing Wells would finish 22nd, 23rd and 24th, respectively. Thus ended a forgettable 5A season that no one is ever going to be able to forget.

Oh yeah: Amphi’s boys won their 4A Conference title, but due to a Pandemic Season quirk, didn’t advance to state.