COVID-19 in Arizona: Ducey stays the course despite intense criticism he hasn’t done enough
By Jacob Holter
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey stood by Arizona’s past and present response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, despite harsh criticism from other politicians and growing concern from health experts as the number of deaths in the state topped 2,000.
“My decisions are not going to be influenced by any attempt to please the press, and they will not be influenced by politics in any way,” Ducey said during a news conference Thursday. “Everything we will do going forward will be to promote and protect public health in Arizona.”
Ducey issued a new executive order with guidelines to limit the use of indoor dining in restaurants to 50% of capacity, but critics pointed out that a rule limiting restaurant occupancy has been in place since June 17. U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, tweeted this during the news conference:
Ducey also announced an increase in testing, through public and private partnerships.
In a statement Wednesday, Joe Biden, the 2020 presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, called upon the Trump administration to intervene to protect the residents of Arizona.
The former vice president noted how Arizonans who want or need to get a COVID-19 test “have been forced to endure 13 hours in line in the boiling heat.”
Arizona is one of four states that White House health adviser Deborah Birx suggested should reinstate stricter limitations on the public because of the uptick in infections. The other states are Florida, California and Texas.
Hospitals in Arizona report that 89% of intensive care beds and 87% of in-patient beds are in use, according to state health officials, raising concerns that health care facilities are close to being inundated.
Biden said Arizona hospitals “are overwhelmed, the test positivity rate is soaring, and the pleas of local leaders for help were repeatedly dismissed.”
Vice President Mike Pence said in a news conference Wednesday that Arizona seemed to be flattening the curve in regard to new COVID-19 infections – a claim Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego rebuffed Thursday.
“We are still seeing new cases all the time, and to say that bending it a little bit lower is success doesn’t feel that way to the people in our community who are still waiting more than a week for a test,” Gallego told The Washington Post. “Our doctors and nurses tell me that they are exhausted and treating so many more patients than they were just a few weeks ago.”
At his Thursday news conference, Ducey acknowledged that Arizona experienced a “brutal June” and has entered a “time of maximum challenge right now.” He also voiced concerns that the fall and the flu season could raise a host of new dangers.
Ducey urged local residents to wear masks and stay home as much as possible, echoing a call by Gallego earlier in the day.
“I believe our residents will do the right thing if they get accurate information,” Gallego said. “I am calling on every elected official from the president on down to send a message that wearing masks works and that staying at home can slow the spread.”
As of Thursday, July 9, the Arizona Department of Health Services reported a total of 112,671 cases of COVID-19 and 2,038 deaths in the state. It said 841,282 tests for COVID-19 have been completed in public and private labs in Arizona, and 11.5% of tests have come back positive for the virus that causes the disease.
