Pima County response to updated CDC mask guidelines



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TUCSON, Ariz .– The CDC has reversed its previous stance on face coverings. It now recommends that people vaccinated against COVID-19 wear masks indoors in some counties and cities.

“Increasing the number of cases, increasing hospitalizations, increasing Delta and finally increasing transmissibility of Delta in people vaccinated and with Delta as well as in people vaccinated,” said Dr Theresa Cullen, director of health of the Pima County. “Now I have to warn that; that while our COVID rates are on the rise, they are nowhere near where they were. “

The CDC is also urging all students in Kindergarten to Grade 12 to wear masks to school. Cullen says numbers in Pima County are increasing within this group.

“Five to ten percent of the cases we are seeing now will be due to school, up from a high of four percent last year. Since July 19, over the past seven days, we have seen 56 reported school cases. We expect to get ten more today, ”Cullen said.

She says eight outbreaks have been confirmed in the county in the past eight days within K-12. Last summer, she says there was no epidemic; for this reason, his recommendation echoes the CDC.

“Additionally, we are seeing an increase in pediatric emergency room visits associated with CVOID-19, admissions, including intensive care admissions,” Cullen said.

But Gov. Doug Ducey condemns the recommendation, saying, “Arizona does not allow mask warrants, vaccine warrants, vaccine passports, or discrimination in schools based on who is or is not vaccinated. We’ve passed all of this into law, and it won’t change. “

Pima County Supervisor Dr Matt Heinz spoke with KGUN9 about his reaction to the updated CDC guidelines. He says he supports the CDC recommending that vaccinated people wear masks indoors. In addition, he challenges the mandates of Governor Ducey.

“I’m happy to fight the governor in court over this. We have the authority from the board of directors through the Department of Health to do what is necessary to mitigate contagion like COVID. And the governor doesn’t seem to think the statute means anything; this law is decades and decades old. It’s also important to point out that his mask tenure that went through the budget process – restrictions on mandatory vaccinations – all of these things have a 90-day delayed enactment, which means they won’t be law until September, ” Heinz said. .

He says an additional Pima County Board of Supervisors meeting was added on August 10 to further discuss these topics.



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