Researchers Urge Arizona Shutdown, Mask Mandate

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FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2020, file photo, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey puts his face mask on after addressing the media on COVID-19 during a news conference in Phoenix. Ducey has funneled nearly $400 million of federal coronavirus relief funds to state agencies to help pay for operations, allowing them to return some of their original budget allocations to the state treasury. (Michael Chow/The Arizona Republic via AP, File)

PHOENIX — University of Arizona researchers say the current surge in the coronavirus outbreak will present the state with a hospital crisis that could become a disaster unless the state takes steps such as ordering a three-week stay-home shutdown and implementing a statewide mask mandate.

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Members of the university’s COVID Modeling Team said failing to take such steps would be like facing a major forest fire without evacuation orders. It also recommends providing economic aid to affected small businesses and families and preventing evictions and foreclosures.

The team has tracked the outbreak since last spring and made its recommendations in a letter Friday to the state Department of Health Services.

Many local governments have imposed mask mandates since Gov. Doug Ducey last summer lifted a prohibition on such orders. The local mandates cover an estimated 90% of the state’s population but enforcement is lax or nonexistent in some places.

Arizona on Saturday reported 4,136 additional known COVID-19 cases and 36 more deaths.


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Educated Archy
Educated Archy
3 years ago

“ enforcement is lax”. Who
says we should be “enforcing “ it . When you enforce it people rebel especially if it breaches upon civil liberties. ( yes maybe public health requires it the law but it still violates civil law )
You need to encourage people to want to wear it. This is the key . It starts by, giving out free masks to every grocery store , bank etc . When customers come in they can grab a free mask . Also work in getting community leaders to encourage it .
This all assumes one has no anti bodies . If you have anti bodies , masks should not be required.

Last edited 3 years ago by