March 16, 2022, marked a full two years since the first reported COVID-19 death in Arizona. During those 2 years, 28,547 Arizona residents have lost their lives due directly to COVID-19, while the total number of pandemic-related excess deaths now exceeds 38,000. Our new report provides a summary and graphical perspective of COVID-19 mortality in Arizona over the past two years in comparison to other states and the US.
Specifically, this report addresses the following indicators of COVID mortality in Arizona over the past two years:
- Cumulative COVID-19 mortality rates per 100,000 residents;
- Percent increase in total all-cause deaths compared to pre-pandemic
deaths; - COVID-19 deaths compared to pre-pandemic leading causes of death; and
- Changes in life expectancy in 2020 compared to 2019.
Our evidence review examines the epidemiology of death trends in the U.S. during the first 24 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. When looked at comprehensively, our review suggests that Arizona was the worst performing state in the U.S. as evidenced by the fact that Arizona:
- Has the largest percent increase in all-cause mortality during the pandemic;
- Is the only state in which COVID-19 has been the leading cause of death during
the pandemic; and - Currently has the 2nd highest COVID-19 mortality rate in the U.S. averaged
over the pandemic.
While the reasons for Arizona’s poor performance are multi-factorial, the strong link between pandemic-related death rates and public health policy decisions in Arizona (including prohibitions against proven effective interventions) suggest that a significant reason for Arizona’s poor performance are the policy decisions made by the Governor
and his appointed health directors during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Our March 21, 2022 Report