Name: Gov. Ducey relaxes COVID-19 guidelines in Arizona; bars can open, cities cannot require masks
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Gov. Ducey relaxes COVID-19 guidelines in Arizona; bars can open, cities cannot require masks

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You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.Welcome,Gov. Doug Ducey's new COVID-19 guidelines released Thursday morning downgrade requirements for businesses to recommendations and allow bars to resume their regular operations.PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Gov. Doug Ducey's&nbsp;&nbsp;released Thursday morning downgrade requirements for businesses to recommendations and allow bars to resume their regular operations.While Ducey never issued a statewide mask mandate, Arizona "encouraged personal responsibility." As a results, many cities and towns implemented their own mask requirements. Under the new executive order, "those local mandates will be phased out," and counties, cities, and towns will not be able to enact new mask mandates.Businesses can choose whether they want to require their customers to wear masks, but they do not have to. "Mask usage is still encouraged, especially in groups that are not vaccinated," according to the governor's website.Ducey's new guidelines also say that large gatherings of 50 people or more are no longer required to be approved by local governments. However, Ducey says these events should continue to follow safe practices and CDC recommendations, including physical distancing. This includes youth sports.The new executive order also allows bars to open without having to serve food. They will now be allowed to resume regular operations, with the option to require social distancing and masks.TODAY IN ARIZONA: We’ve now hit 3 MILLION+ doses of vaccine administered, and 1,185,986 Arizonans have been fully vaccinated. 1/— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) According to the news release, Ducey says the changes to COVID-19 guidelines came about after Arizona has distributed more than 3 million doses of the vaccine and has seen a decrease in cases over the last 10 weeks. Ducey also cited reduced hospital capacity, vaccines available to everyone 16 and older, and the CDC's evaluation of Arizona that ranked it&nbsp;among the best states in the nation for getting the COVID-19 vaccine to vulnerable communities."As we’ve said all along, distribution of the vaccine is our best path to getting back to normal, and I want to thank the millions of Arizonans who have rolled up their sleeves to make the distribution and uptake so successful," said Ducey. "In Arizona, we never did a shutdown, so it’s impossible to have a grand reopening. Instead, we are continuing to take reasonable, safe and sensible steps.&nbsp;Reaction fell along largely partisan lines, with Republican lawmakers and mayors welcoming Ducey’s move and Democrats calling it premature and politically motivated.Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego tweeted about Ducey's announcement saying that his decision contradicts scientists."The horrible surge last June was only curbed by masking- when the Governor finally allowed cities to do it. To abandon precautions now is like spiking the ball on the 5-yard line," Gallego said. "We know new variants are circulating. The risk of another surge is real. The governor clearly cares a lot less about the people of Arizona than his political future.". decision directly contradicts the best scientists in the field. The horrible surge last June was only curbed by masking- when the Governor finally allowed cities to do it. To abandon precautions now is like spiking the ball on the 5-yard line.— Mayor Kate Gallego (@MayorGallego) Arizona Rep. Lorenzo Sierra, a Democrat from Avondale, who had COVID-19 and was on a ventilator in October, worries Arizona won't finish the race strong."My experience with COVID was just about as bad as you could get," he said. "As someone who's gone through COVID, I can tell you I wouldn't wish my experience on my worst enemy."Sierra thinks most Arizonans will choose to continue wearing masks, but he also feels it's too soon to relax state requirements."We are setting ourselves up for some deaths that we wouldn't be setting up otherwise," he said.House Speaker Rusty Bowers, a Republican from Mesa, called it “the right and responsible decision” in a statement released by Ducey’s office.“Better late then never,” Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who has pushed to end the emergency declaration that gives Ducey power to impose health restrictions, wrote on Twitter. “To all the (Arizonans) who have suffered so much during this year long shutdown we’re getting there slowly, but surely.”Arizona’s big hospital chains, which crammed in extra beds and expanded their staff to deal with surges of COVID-19 patients last summer and winter, said the mitigation measures Ducey ended have worked. They urged people to continue taking precautions.“A downward trend is not synonymous with the elimination of the virus,” hospital executives said in a statement through the Health System Alliance of Arizona, which represents chains including Banner, Dignity and HonorHealth.Banner Health also tweeted on Thursday evening that the relaxing of safety rules was too early. The nonprofit said less than 20% of Arizonans are fully vaccinated against the virus and that number needs to be much higher before the mask mandates should be eliminated."It is still important to wear masks in public while our vaccination rate is low in order to protect those who are at high risk and also those who have not had the opportunity to get their vaccine, yet," Banner Health said. "We all want to return to a more normal way of living, and the best way for us to do this is for everyone to get the COVID-19 vaccine so that we have a high level of herd immunity in Arizona."Banner Health encouraged all Arizonans to still wear masks, avoid large gatherings and asked businesses to keep their mask mandates and social distance rules.Mitigation measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 are important as we continue our vaccination efforts. To date, less than 20% of Arizonans are fully vaccinated against the virus. This number needs to be much higher before we ease mitigation measures like masking. (1/5)— Banner Health (@BannerHealth)&nbsp;Copyright 2021 KPHO/KTVK (KPHO Broadcasting Corporation). All rights reserved.© Copyright 2021 (A Meredith Corporation Station), 5555 N. Seventh Avenue Phoenix, AZ&nbsp;| &nbsp;| &nbsp;|Powered by from .

You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.Welcome,Gov. Doug Ducey's new COVID-19 guidelines released Thursday morning downgrade requirements for businesses to recommendations and allow bars to resume their regular operations.PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- Gov. Doug Ducey's&nbsp;&nbsp;released Thursday morning downgrade requirements for businesses to recommendations and allow bars to resume their regular operations.While Ducey never issued a statewide mask mandate, Arizona "encouraged personal responsibility." As a results, many cities and towns implemented their own...

Gov. Ducey relaxes COVID-19 guidelines in Arizona; bars can open, cities cannot require masks

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