No talk of lockdown restrictions in Yuma County as COVID-19 cases rise

Locals share their thoughts on the possibility of another lockdown - News 11's Adonis Albright reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Despite hundreds of cases being reported across Yuma County in recent weeks, the county said there haven't been any discussions about implementing lockdown restrictions.

The positivity rate has been steadily on the rise, and although health officials anticipated the surge, the pandemic is still affecting the everyday lives of residents.

Michaels at the Yuma Palms Shopping Center temporarily closed down this week, with a sign stating they are making safety their number one priority. The store is one of several across Yuma that have had to close its doors; some temporarily, others permanently.

News 11 spoke with several residents to get their take on if lockdown restrictions should be reinstated.

"I think it's kind of scary... I think that there should be [a] lockdown", said one older woman who tried to enter Michaels before realizing it was closed down. She said she hopes the vaccine will help set things right.

"I think they do help, I think if we went on a lockdown and we were on lockdown for maybe even a couple weeks that it would help us get more normal, like we could be more normal by summer time", said Cassandra Burke, a local who was out shopping with her family.

News 11 reached out to the city of Yuma to see if there are any individual plans to implement lockdown restrictions. Dave Nash, the Public Affairs Coordinator, said the hours of operation at City Hall were scaled back by one hour, closing at 5 PM instead of 6 PM Monday through Friday. However, Nash said the city can offer no further speculation at this time.

This is a developing story, and we will continue to bring you the latest.