Arizona Officials React To Ducey's COVID-19 Rollbacks

PHOENIX, AZ — The reaction from Arizona's mayors and other officials to Gov. Doug Ducey's COVID-19 rollbacks was swift on Thursday.

The slate of changes includes the following:

• End the requirement for local approval of events with more than 50 people.
• Change requirements on businesses to recommendations.
• Phase out all locally issued mask mandates. The state of Arizona never issued a statewide mandate.
• Let bars resume normal operating levels. They were forced to close during the pandemic unless they had a kitchen.

A range of elected officials, from Arizona Superintendent Kathy Hoffman to Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, all criticized the moves as being premature.

.@azedschools is awaiting guidance from the @9thFloorAZ to determine how the latest EO (2021-06) impacts the school mask mandate. In the meantime, with only 1 in 4 Arizonans vaccinated, I encourage everyone to continue wearing a mask when in public spaces.
— Kathy Hoffman (@Supt_Hoffman) March" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/Supt_Hoffm... 25, 2021

REACTION Arizona's major hospital networks not big fans of Ducey rollback of COVID restrictions: "Now is not the time to become complacent & declare victory when the virus is still prominent... COVID-19 mitigation strategies work." pic.twitter.com/Z769ppxcXL
— Brahm Resnik (@brahmresnik) March" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/brahmresni... 25, 2021

.@dougducey decision directly contradicts the best scientists in the field.

The horrible surge last June was only curbed by masking- when the Governor finally allowed cities to do it. To abandon precautions now is like spiking the ball on the 5-yard line.
— Mayor Kate Gallego (@MayorGallego) March" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/MayorGalle... 25, 2021

This executive order is the wrong move.

Vaccination numbers are improving but we are still a long way from being out of the woods.

It’s concerning that we are preempting local leaders from making the choices needed in their communities. https://t.co/3OSboPONFA
— Representative Daniel Hernandez Jr (@danielforaz) March" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/danielfora... 25, 2021

Gov Ducey overrides vital public health protections such as the mask wearing requirements by our courageous mayors, Tucson’s Regina Romero and Phoenix’s Kate Gallego, and rejects FEMA’s vaccines for disadvantaged communities. Whose now the barrier to protecting public health? https://t.co/MoSBlXzKHZ
— Senator Kirsten Engel (@EngelForArizona) March" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/EngelForAr... 25, 2021

Tucson's @TucsonRomero statement on today's mitigation news... pic.twitter.com/JaYs5uZQD3
— Ricky Vazquez (@rickvaz) March" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/rickvaz/st... 25, 2021

Just days after he blocked a FEMA vaccination POD that could immunize 210,000 Pima County residents, Gov. @dougducey decides to upend local mask laws that protect public health. He punted that power to local leaders and now takes it away. It’s a craven and thoughtless power grab.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.