Read on Twitter
Gov. Ducey will be holding a press conference with ADHS chief Cara Christ in about 5 minutes. Watch along here, I'll be doing my best to live-tweet it
Getting started
Ducey: "COVID 19 is widespread in Arizona... It's growing, and it's growing fast, across all age groups and demographics. Anyone can get this virus and anyone can spread this virus."
Ducey:
Ducey: The rate of spread of this virus is unacceptable. It's time to step up our actions and our personal responsibilities
Ducey: This is Arizona's first wave, and this will not be our last wave.
Ducey: AZ is one of several states (mostly Sun Belt) that are experiencing record cases and hospitalizations
Ducey: Where we are right now and what we expect is manageable -- but we do need to change the direction of these numbers.
We are getting hit hard right now
We are getting hit hard right now
Ducey: Will apply knowledge from states who already got through their first wave
Ducey: This is Arizona's time of challenge. I don't want there to be any illusion or sugar-coated expectations: We expect our numbers will be worse next week and the week after.
Truth: changes take weeks to show up in the data
Truth: changes take weeks to show up in the data
Ducey: If anything, we need to redouble our efforts.
Goals: save lives, save livelihoods.
This is not an either/or, it's an and -- it's both
Goals: save lives, save livelihoods.
This is not an either/or, it's an and -- it's both
Ducey: progress will be measured by slowing the virus and protecting most vulnerable.
Ducey: Appeals to people to act individually to make a difference.
If you will wear a mask, it will make a real difference in slowing the spread of this virus.
If you will wear a mask, it will make a real difference in slowing the spread of this virus.
Ducey: 75% of the state has a mask mandate.
Other important things: physical distancing, washing hands, staying home when sick
Other important things: physical distancing, washing hands, staying home when sick
Ducey: Knows that young people "feel invincible"
"But your parents and grandparents are NOT invincible."
"But your parents and grandparents are NOT invincible."
Ducey: When AZ reopened, said it was green light -- but not license to speed.
But we've had some speeding. We've had some speeding in the business community. We need to slow down.
Now is on "yellow light"
But we've had some speeding. We've had some speeding in the business community. We need to slow down.
Now is on "yellow light"
Ducey: COVID is "likely in this room, right now"
Top takeaway: You are safer at home. All Arizonans are safer at home, and you can stay healthy at home.
Top takeaway: You are safer at home. All Arizonans are safer at home, and you can stay healthy at home.
Ducey: Hospitals are likely to hit surge capacity soon
Ducey: The crowded social gatherings that we've seen MUST be minimized.
(Expect questions on that, given Tuesday's Trump event that Ducey attended)
(Expect questions on that, given Tuesday's Trump event that Ducey attended)
On to Cara Christ now. But good point here: https://twitter.com/AZs_Politics/status/1276277794121461760
Christ: If in a group of people, need to wear cloth covering. Same if you engage with new people.
Christ: Just because somebody doesn't look sick doesn't mean they don't have the virus
Christ: Outdoors is safer than indoors
Ducey:
Ducey: Guidance last week increased measures for businesses to take, gave local LE ability to enforce.
Tuesday, Scottsdale filed charges against Riot House. Yesterday, Liquor Dept issued final warnings to these establishments
Tuesday, Scottsdale filed charges against Riot House. Yesterday, Liquor Dept issued final warnings to these establishments
Maybe charts now?
It's one he threatened about 6 weeks ago https://twitter.com/barrettmarson/status/1276279045311758336
Ducey: Case growth is in 20-44 age group
Ducey: We haven't done a lot of talking about how contagious this is... and how quickly it can spread
I mean, this is stuff that should have been emphasized in March. And April. And May. And June... https://twitter.com/JimSmall/status/1276279419766583296
Ducey: Hospitalizations by age
22% are 20-44 year olds
22% are 20-44 year olds
Ducey: All of our citizens can be helpful in slowing the spread of this
Numbers time. They won't be good.
Ducey: "Arizona is on pause" for re-opening
"This is the wrong direction... and we need to reverse this trend"
Tests and positivity
Ducey: 1 in 5 tests positive at peak
This is what community spread looks like
Ducey: 1 in 5 tests positive at peak
This is what community spread looks like
Hospital beds
Ducey: Less beds available, increased COVID cases
Ducey: Less beds available, increased COVID cases
Same story for ICU
This terrible chart returns, of course
Ventilator use also up
Testing figures
Ducey: We need more tests and we need more efficiency around the testing.
No one should have to wait hours and hours to be tested.
-- also need quicker results returned
No one should have to wait hours and hours to be tested.
-- also need quicker results returned
Now back to Cara Christ
Christ: Increasing sites, especially in Maryvale
Christ: Increasing sites, especially in Maryvale
Here's the heart breaking story that Ducey alluded to about people waiting hours to get tested https://twitter.com/andrewboxford/status/1276281672510496769
Christ: Helping increase testing capacity for Sonora Quest Labs, which does most testing in AZ
Christ: Working to promote testing at home with LabCorp
Christ: Plan to use that at-home testing to assist with contact tracing
Christ: Prisons are a higher risk, working to test Corrections staff
Tested 645, 45 positives. Working to test *ALL* 40,000 inmates
Tested 645, 45 positives. Working to test *ALL* 40,000 inmates
Christ: Announces extension of Good Samaritan executive order protecting health care workers from liability
Christ: The state has been calling up volunteer health care workers to address shortages in health care staffing
Christ: AZ has implemented a statewide contact tracing plan. National Guard is helping, and partnering with Chicanos Por La Causa
This is stunning and sobering https://twitter.com/Garrett_Archer/status/1276283358180282368
Now Maj. Gen. McGuire, head of DEMA and AZ National Guard
McGuire: doubling # of tests receiving from FEMA to 300k on June and July. Growing mobile testing sites from 41 to 62
McGuire: doubling # of tests receiving from FEMA to 300k on June and July. Growing mobile testing sites from 41 to 62
Ducey: "Mask up. Please wear a mask."
Ducey: If I did have one ask... of the press that would be very helpful... if you could do whatever you can in your power to make sure every Arizonan hears... that you are safer at home, the virus is widespread
Q from @azcapmedia: How can DLLC enforce restrictions, are only 14 inspectors?
Ducey: We have seen pictures of these bad actors
Need local LE to work with DLLC
Ducey: We have seen pictures of these bad actors
Need local LE to work with DLLC
Ducey: If you've not been cited, you can avoid being cited.
What we're looking to (do) is break up the large social gatherings.
What we're looking to (do) is break up the large social gatherings.
More @azcapmedia: When UA president says it's dangerous to go to school, how open K-12?
Ducey: Planning for fall semester. Want to do it with public health in mind.
"maximum flexibility, maximum resources."
Ducey: Planning for fall semester. Want to do it with public health in mind.
"maximum flexibility, maximum resources."
Ducey: We're not acting as if we know anything for certain in the future
Q: How close are we to another shutdown/stay home order? Will you limit political rallies?
Ducey: Arizonans have been great, they've been responsible, they've listened.
We have arrows in our quiver, so to speak. We want to use the ones that will work.
We are managing hospital capacity right now.
We have arrows in our quiver, so to speak. We want to use the ones that will work.
We are managing hospital capacity right now.
Ducey didn't answer the question about how close we are to another shutdown
Ducey: Pence trip is official White House visit.
Will accommodate them
Will accommodate them
Said what I was just typing https://twitter.com/RobbieSherwood/status/1276285944883109890
Q: How count cases for multiple tests?
A: (Christ) If positive more than one test, you count as 1 case. Same with hospitalizations.
A: (Christ) If positive more than one test, you count as 1 case. Same with hospitalizations.
Q from @jeremyduda: No data on hospitals, not just statewide. Why?
A: Aggregate those numbers
"We report those numbers every day."
A: Aggregate those numbers
"We report those numbers every day."
Ducey: Even if hospital hits max occupancy, have a surge line to move patients to open beds
Q from @DaveBiscobing15: Outbreak at AZ State Hospital, employees not feeling safe. What say to them?
A: (Christ) Have been engaged with ASH, are concerned. Staff should raise concerns to ADHS. "We will listen"
A: (Christ) Have been engaged with ASH, are concerned. Staff should raise concerns to ADHS. "We will listen"
Q from AP reporter: Why using hospital capacity as measure for opening businesses? Public health experts disagree.
A: The measure we used... came from the Centers for Disease Control
Hospitals were 1 of 4 metrics
A: The measure we used... came from the Centers for Disease Control
Hospitals were 1 of 4 metrics
Ducey: "The virus is widespread. It can't be stopped. It doesn't go away."
Q from @VaughnHillyard: Will testing be delayed for the next week?
Did you tell Trump that mortality rate is up, that situation is not good?
Did you tell Trump that mortality rate is up, that situation is not good?
A: Both Trump and Pence "have been incredibly responsive" to AZ needs
He used his time with Trump this week to tell him what was happening here.
"That's my responsibility"
He used his time with Trump this week to tell him what was happening here.
"That's my responsibility"
A: (Christ) Don't want people to wait for tests or results.
Hoping wait times will decrease
Hoping wait times will decrease
A: (Ducey) Nobody should have to wait as long as @ujohnnyg wrote about
Q from @dennis_welch: Trend isn't new. Do you feel you made any mistakes? Stay at home longer? What could you have done differently?
A: Actually extended the order two additional weeks
"There's no magical decision or golden government action that will stop this virus. It is among us... and it is growing."
"There's no magical decision or golden government action that will stop this virus. It is among us... and it is growing."
He didn't extend it. It expired on the day it was originally intended to. He actually started to open some things 2 weeks before that expiration https://twitter.com/JimSmall/status/1276289348334321665
Ducey: I haven't been very retrospective as of late. We've had a lot on our plate.
Q: Could bars have been stopped earlier? Could you have worn mask in public?
A: (Lots said, nothing answering the questions)
A: (Lots said, nothing answering the questions)
Q: Do you trust Trump on COVID?
A: AZ is increasing testing, regardless of "if" Trump said he wanted to slow testing.
(He did)
A: AZ is increasing testing, regardless of "if" Trump said he wanted to slow testing.
(He did)
Q from @NicoleSGrigg: When will you stop relying on surge capacity as the driving metric?
A: When someone is sick, they need a hospital bed
A: When someone is sick, they need a hospital bed
A: We're not relying on hospital capacity, we're using hospital capacity if necessary.
Q: New sense of urgency. But sending mixed signals. How does that lead by example?
A: "It's just wrong and made up" -- news story on his "steak dinner."
But 1A rights to assemble won't be infringed
A: "It's just wrong and made up" -- news story on his "steak dinner."
But 1A rights to assemble won't be infringed
Q from @andrewboxford: What capacity level necessitates surge? And stop elective surgeries?
A: (Christ) Surge determined by individual hospitals, hope to avoid via AZ Surge Line
Cancelling surgeries "is a tool"
A: (Christ) Surge determined by individual hospitals, hope to avoid via AZ Surge Line
Cancelling surgeries "is a tool"
(Interjecting a correction here)
An earlier tweet was mistaken. Thanks for fact-checking me https://twitter.com/azsqrlgrl/status/1276291214149484550
An earlier tweet was mistaken. Thanks for fact-checking me https://twitter.com/azsqrlgrl/status/1276291214149484550
Q from @brahmresnik: Political rally this week with very few masks worn?
A: People's rights to assemble are not going to be infringed, in an election year or any other year.
It's a constitutional right, and you're showing some real intellectual dishonesty here.
A: People's rights to assemble are not going to be infringed, in an election year or any other year.
It's a constitutional right, and you're showing some real intellectual dishonesty here.
Q: What about youth sports or congregate settings?
A: (Christ) Working with summer camps, youth leagues to address this. They are high-risk for transmission.
A: (Christ) Working with summer camps, youth leagues to address this. They are high-risk for transmission.
Q: Will you tell WH to discourage crowds because of public health crisis?
A: I think that is the right way to look at this. We do have to have a balance.
A: I think that is the right way to look at this. We do have to have a balance.
A: "We're not going to get in the job that (Pence and Trump) have to do
This relationship has served Arizona well."
This relationship has served Arizona well."
Q: Do you know about AZ people getting hospitalized in NV?
A: (Christ) Not aware of this, but haven't sent patients to NV
A: (Christ) Not aware of this, but haven't sent patients to NV
Q from @azcapmedia: Rally goers could have worn masks, but suggestion is campaign event, so it doesn't apply. Hypocritical to attend, not say anything to president or crowd?
A: We're seeing "dramatic increase" in mask wearing.
A: We're seeing "dramatic increase" in mask wearing.
A: We are going to protect freedom of the press and the right of people to peaceably assemble
Accuses Howie of viewing 1A as applying to media, not public.
Howie: "I have a right to assemble, but I can't do it naked."
Accuses Howie of viewing 1A as applying to media, not public.
Howie: "I have a right to assemble, but I can't do it naked."
Q from @rachelleingang: Did we use or lock down time well to prepare?
A: Believe so
Contact tracing needs "contacts to trace"
"We're dealing with a pandemic here."
A: Believe so
Contact tracing needs "contacts to trace"
"We're dealing with a pandemic here."
A: I have every confidence that we can slow this spread again. And then this still won't be over, it will be, 'What's next?'"
/END
