Arizona school and health officials urge cities to continue mask mandates

Appeal follows lifting of Lake Havasu City's face covering requirement

LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Just days after Lake Havasu City lifted its mask mandate, hospital officials and Arizona's top educator are urging other city leaders to leave their requirements in place.

Lake Havasu City's mayor, Cal Sheehy, suspended the mandate Monday. It required face coverings indoors whenever social distancing was not possible.

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman made an appeal Wednesday for continued mask requirements in other cities across the state. Hoffman said such mandates are needed to protect students from coronavirus on campus.

An association that represents the state's hospitals made a similar plea. It said the lifting of face covering requirements could overburden Arizona's health care system once again.