Ducey begins lifting COVID-19 mitigation measures in Arizona, removes business occupancy limitations

PHOENIX (KVOA) - Arizona will begin lifting its COVID-19 mitigation measures after Gov. Doug Ducey announced a new executive order on Friday.

Back in May, Ducey enacted his "Stay Healthy, Return Smarter, Return Stronger" that slowly allowed businesses to reopen that were previously restricted under the initial state's Stay-At-Home Order.

After observing seven weeks of declining cases in the Grand Canyon State, Ducey issued a new executive order that further eases the state's COVID-19 sanctions on businesses.

According to the new executive order, businesses will not be required to limit its occupancy. However, businesses will still be required to maintain protocols for physical distancing and use of masks.

In addition, "Spring Training and Major League Sports will have the ability to operate upon submission and approval of a plan to the Arizona Department of Health Services that demonstrates implementation of safety precautions and physical distancing."

The order also says "mayors and local entities will still be precluded from implementing extreme measures that shut down businesses."

“We’ve learned a lot over the past year,” Ducey said. “Our businesses have done an excellent job at responding to this pandemic in a safe and responsible way. We will always admire the sacrifice they and their employees have made and their vigilance to protect against the virus." 

This move to lift mitigation measures follows the governors of Texas, Michigan and Louisiana's decision to loosen COVID-19 restrictions despite warnings from health officials.

In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s announced Tuesday to remove its face-covering order completely.

“Unlike other states, we never did a shutdown here in Arizona. We withstood the calls from the extremes on both sides, and we will continue to ignore them. We always knew that fighting this virus would be dependent on the personal responsibility of everyday Arizonans," Ducey said. “Like the rest of the country, Arizona has made its way out of the winter surge of cases. And we are leading the nation in the vaccination rollout. Our mitigation strategies have been targeted and data-driven." 

This news came on the heels of Arizona's decision to launch a hybrid model for COVID-19 vaccine prioritization in the Phoenix Metro Area, allowing Arizonans 55 and older and frontline essential workers to receive the vaccine.

According to the state, this new model, which will allow local health departments to transition to the 55-and-up age group, will "ensure the distribution of vaccine doses to individuals at high risk of severe outcomes, including hospitalization and death, from COVID-19 due to age while allowing local health departments to prioritize frontline essential workers through employer-based vaccination strategies."

The department says the local health departments can make this transition when "they reach 55 percent of that age category vaccinated or feel that there is no longer demand for vaccine."

Due to the drastic vaccine supply decrease due to state rationing and the winter storm shipment delays in recent weeks, Pima County medical professionals are still vaccinating individuals in the 70 and up age category.

However, starting on Tuesday, ADHS will open approximately 50,000 vaccination appointments at State Farm Stadium and Phoenix Municipal Stadium at noon for individuals 55 and older for appointments started Thursday.

“Today’s announcement is a measured approach; we are not in the clear yet. We need to continue practicing personal responsibility. Wear a mask. Social distance. Stay home when you’re sick and wash your hands frequently," Ducey said. “With the vaccine rollout advancing rapidly, we continue to have hope for the future.”

To register for an appointment, visit podvaccine.azdhs.gov or azhealth.gov/findvaccine, or call 1-844-542-8201.

Officials say the Grand Canyon State expects to receive 50,000 to 60,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in early March after the FDA approved the one-shot vaccine for emergency use on Saturday

To view the executive order in its entirety, visit azgovernor.us3.list-manage.com.