Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega Reimposes Citywide Mask Order

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — Just one day after reinstating Scottsdale's emergency declaration, the city's new mayor reimposed a face covering requirement amid a statewide surge in coronavirus cases.

Mayor David Ortega issued a new emergency proclamation Wednesday to restore Scottsdale's local mask order. Former Mayor Jim Lane rescinded the previous order in September, drawing ire from the community. Scottsdale residents still had to adhere to Maricopa County's mask ordinance.

The new order, which went into effect at midnight, requires people in Scottsdale to wear a face covering in all public places if they will come into contact with anyone outside their households or in places where physical distancing is difficult. That includes grocery stores, pharmacies and restaurants, as well as bars, gyms, common areas at apartment complexes and public transit.

The order exempts children under 6, people with a medical condition and anyone actively eating or drinking, among others. Businesses or public spaces that do not enforce the order will be in violation.

The order will remain in place until the city's state of emergency is lifted and will be reviewed periodically as the pandemic evolves, though no exact date was given.

At the time he rescinded the previous mask order, Lane attributed his decision to the success of mitigation efforts, because of which hospitals were no longer overwhelmed. "When the original face covering order went into effect, our hospital system was in crisis," Lane said in a statement. "The alarming growth in cases across the county was pushing hospital capacity to the limit, and Scottsdale's mask requirement was part of efforts in communities across the state to get that situation under control. It worked."

On Thursday, Arizona reported 7,311 new coronavirus cases and 182 deaths. About 93 percent of the state's intensive care unit beds are full.