Last week was a busy one media-wise for AzPHA- in part because the pandemic is having such a tragic impact in our state. In fact, we are now number one in the world when it comes to viral transmission per capita. Here are a few of the stories that we contributed to this week:
Arizona, Roiled by Covid in Summer, Faces Even Worse Outbreak Now – The New York Times (nytimes.com)
“Only 136 intensive care unit beds are available out of nearly 1,800 statewide, according to state data, but beds are not the most pressing issue, Dr. Bessel said. Staff and resources are. Nurses are being quickly trained in new skills and hundreds of health care workers are being flown in from other states. Still, Dr. Bessel acknowledged, there comes a point when resources can be stretched no thinner and more drastic measures, such as rationing care, might have to be considered.”
As Arizona becomes world hot spot, focus put on governor– The Washington Post
“We have a governor and health director who don’t care. Their goal in my opinion is to vaccinate their way out of this,” said Will Humble, head of the Arizona Public Health Association “Eventually it will work. There’s just going to be a lot of dead people in the meantime.”
Health expert blames Arizona’s COVID crisis on lack of enforcement(ktar.com)
He said that even though thousands of businesses are subject to mitigation rules enacted by the state over the summer, the health department has done just 15 enforcement actions.
“You’re telling me that that’s meaningful enforcement of the mitigation measures? … I can’t say it plainly enough: If we had been doing better enforcement in those indoor environments, then I wouldn’t be sitting here talking on the radio about shutting those businesses,” he said.
“I think their attitude has been, ‘Look, we’re not going to try to mitigate this thing, we’re going to try to vaccinate our way out of it,’” he said.
Arizona has the highest rate of new COVID-19 cases in the US, CDC says(azcentral.com)
“I probably sound like a broken record- but I feel compelled to say again that the situation we now find ourselves in is not because of fate as the governor and state health director suggest,” Will Humble, Arizona Public Health Association director, wrote in a Jan. 3 policy update.
“It is largely because they have been unwilling to implement evidence-based interventions this fall including authentic enforcement of the existing ‘required’ mitigation measures for bars, restaurants and nightclubs. A requirement without enforcement is merely a suggestion.”
Vitalyst Spark Podcast– E57: COVID-19 Roundtable Update – 1/4 | Free Listening on Podbean App
Arizona Horizon | 1-4-21: Slow vaccine roll out
Arizona Vaccine Rollout Delayed by Computer Glitches, County Says | Phoenix New Times
