Doug Ducey on Tuesday ordered anyone flying into an Arizona airport from the coronavirus hotspots of New York, New Jersey or Connecticut to self-quarantine for 14 days.
Ducey said the action was needed to prevent the growth of infections in the state, which already has cases in all 15 counties. The governor last week issued a stay at home order for all residents, which advised them to leave their houses only to obtain or work in essential services. He also has banned gatherings of groups of 10 or more people and ordered schools, bars, restaurants and movies theaters closed.
The Republican governor, however, said he would not release old and sick state prisoners who at greater risk of contracting the new virus.
In Arizona, more than 2,500 COVID-19 cases with 73 deaths have been reported as of Tuesday.
Federal health officials have discouraged anyone from traveling from the three hard-hit states. Hawaii’s governor has required anyone arriving to the state to follow a similar 14 day self-quarantine.
Violations of Ducey’s order are misdemeanors that carry a $2,500 fine or up to six months in jail.
“But the police have better things to do than be breaking up groups of 10, so just follow the stay-at home-order, and follow the order when you land at Sky Harbor” airport, Ducey said.
State Health Services Department Director Dr. Cara Christ said the new order was needed to prevent infections. The department will work with airlines to identify and notify affected travelers, and police across the state will help with enforcement.
“We know how quickly this disease spreads and this order will help to mitigate the spread of this highly contagious disease,” Christ said.
Advocates for inmates on Tuesday asked Arizona’s Christ to order inspections of state prisons to help guard against the coronavirus there, saying corrections officials aren’t consistently following COVID-19 prevention guidelines and have done an inadequate job of keeping the public informed on those efforts.
A coalition of advocacy groups said in a letter to Christ that corrections officials have called for weekly deep cleaning of housing areas, when guidelines from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention call for daily cleanings of shared surfaces.
They raised questions about whether enough soap was being given to inmates to adequately clean housing areas and practice good hygiene and whether health care checks of employees were being consistently conducted at all prisons.
“The risk to lives of the tens of thousands of people in Arizona prisons and public health of Arizona communities is clear and demands immediate action to protect those who live and work in these facilities, as well as the public at large,” the coalition’s letter said.
Ducey said at a news briefing Tuesday that 49 inmates have been tested, 42 were negative and results are pending for the rest. He also said that cloth face masks have been obtained for all corrections officers and more testing is planned, but ruled out early release for vulnerable inmates.
“Not only are we focused on protecting public health, we’re continuing to focus on protecting public safety,” he said. “And we’re not going to be releasing any prisoners at this time.”
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.
Prisons are believed to be vulnerable spots for the spread of the coronavirus because inmates with compromised health live in close quarters.
Ducey also issued orders Tuesday allowing heavier trucks on the road without a permit to speed grocery shipments, increasing required reporting on COVID-19 patients from hospitals, and requiring nursing homes to screen workers before they enter as well as boost remote visitation options for patients’ families.
As part of the state’s emergency coronavirus response, Ducey directed $2 million in emergency funding be provided to Goodwill Industries to allow the nonprofit to rehire 400 furloughed workers.
Ducey tapped a $50 million fund the Legislature appropriated last month to fund the response. The governor has already delegated $6.7 million from the fund for homeless housing, food bank and other nutrition programs.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
