Local authorities in Arizona can now enforce mask requirements.
Facing a localized growing trend in COVID-19 infections, Gov. Doug Ducey announced Wednesday that local jurisdictions would be able to require the donning of facial coverings in public.
Ducey, who’s been resilient to calls for a statewide mask requirement by some public health officials and many Democrats, has been openly encouraging the use of donning facial protection when in public situations where social distancing cannot be maintained.
“This is an additional tool that additional mayors have asked for at the local level,” he said. “Today, we’re seeing facts on the ground in differing circumstances around the state support flexibility and a localized approach.”
A group of nearly 800 public health professionals sent Ducey a letter Sunday demanding he institute a “statewide mandate that every individual over the age of 2 must wear a mask when in public places, including offices, stores, schools, the gym, etc.”
In a tweet shortly after the announcement, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said they plan to act on a local mask requirement.
“On our next agenda, Phoenix City Council will vote to mandate face masks for residents going to essential businesses and in public spaces,” she said. “I fully support this measure.”
The state Department of Health Services Wednesday morning updated its COVID-19 data, showing 1,827 newly confirmed cases. This brings Arizona’s total count to 40,924. The increase is down from Tuesday’s count of 2,392 new cases, a record for the state since the pandemic began.
They attributed 20 new deaths to the virus, bringing the total count to 1,239.
Apache and Navajo counties, home to a portion of the hard-hit Navajo Nation, continue to see the highest infection rates per capita, at 2,782 and 2,456, respectively.
Ducey maintained that the state will not re-enter any sort of shutdown order similar to his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected” executive order that was allowed to expire on May 15, a couple of weeks before the state began to see a daily increase in the number of new cases.
