In an unannounced executive order regarding enhanced monitoring of COVID-19 metrics, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey banned public employers from requiring a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment.
The order, signed Wednesday, primarily reactivates the state’s “enhanced surveillance advisory,” which requires most hospitals to provide consistent updates on ventilators, ICU beds, inpatient beds, ED beds, number of patients pending transfer out of hospitalization, as well as more detailed COVID-19 patient data.
One line stands out.
“No person shall be required by this state, or any city, town, or county, to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine but a health care institution licensed pursuant to A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 4 may require the institution’s employees to be vaccinated,” the order reads.
Ducey’s office commented on the measure Thursday evening, saying the governor has been clear and consistent — he’s pro-vaccine and anti-vaccine mandate.
“The executive order issued Wednesday is an extension of an order that has been in place throughout the pandemic. It is not new and its primary purpose is to allow the Arizona Department of Health Services to gather data essential to combating the public health challenges confronting our state,” a spokesperson said. “Critical information about hospital capacity, for example, would not be available without the collection of reliable real-time data.
“The section of the order concerning the banning of vaccine mandates has been in place since the vaccine became widely available in January. Again, this is not new.”
Ducey’s office said COVID mandates of any kind – whether they concern masks or vaccines – have proven to be divisive and counterproductive and that he believes Arizonans can and should make their own decisions about their healthcare, not an overreaching federal or city government.
Will Humble, director of the Arizona Public Health Association and former top doctor under Ducey, said the governor is misusing his executive powers.
“I would say ‘unbelievable’ but it’s totally believable,” he said Thursday.
Arizona House Democrats said Ducey is making the pandemic more severe.
“Tying the hands of local governments that want to take steps to prevent the spread of #COVID19 just deepens and prolongs the pandemic,” the caucus tweeted Thursday.
The order means the City of Tucson, which in August voted to require its 4,000 employees be vaccinated by December 1, could be in for another court battle.
The city won various legal challenges from Republicans and even its police union to maintain its vaccination mandate. As of December 1. Nearly 100% of employees are either vaccinated or have been granted an exemption.
Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
