Arizona - COVID-19 Covered

Arizona

Total Cases: 2,443,514 (March 10)
Fatalities: 33,102 (March 10)
Testing:
  • Information on COVID-19 testing in Arizona can be found here. 
  • Arizona announced it would partner with Ability360 and The Arc, organizations that empower individuals with disabilities and support their full inclusion in the community, and the Special Olympics to hold vaccination events at their locations. (April 7) 
  • The Arizona Department of Health Services and ASU Biodesign have partnered to make available COVID-19 saliva testing for Arizonans. (November 12) 

ECONOMIC RESPONSE

Essential Service Designations:

  • Governor Ducey issued an executive order clarifying the state’s definition of “essential” businesses and services. The list of essential businesses and services includes, adoption services, healthcare services, construction, utilities, grocery stores, pharmacies, charitable organizations and social services, gas stations, financial institutions, hardware and supply stores, critical trades (plumbers, electricians, sanitation, etc.), mail and shipping services, laundry services, transportation, hotels and motels, and funeral services. (March 23)

Labor & Workforce Guidance, Standards and Regulations:

  • Governor Ducey extended an executive order to attract additional hospital staffing, boost existing medical staff, and provide clarity on liability protections available to health care professionals serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis. (December 31) 
  • Governor Ducey issued an executive order extending the Enhanced Surveillance Advisory that requires hospitals, testing laboratories, and other health care facilities to report detailed information about COVID-19. (November 11) 
  • Arizona has joined a national network to aid workers in job recovery process for those who lost their job to COVID-19-related circumstances. (August 4) 

Economic Stimulus & Relief:

  • Governor Ducey announced $550,000 from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund had been allocated to 13 organizations offering mental health support services for adults and children. (May 28) 
  • Governor Ducey announced Arizona would no longer be taking the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, and would instead offer one-time bonuses to returning workers, along with child care support, educational opportunities, and rental assistance. (May 14) 
  • Governor Ducey signed a bill into law that would conform Arizona’s tax code to federal income tax changes that include steps providing pandemic relief. (April 16) 
  • Governor Ducey announced $12 million in state funding to help local restaurants expand outdoor dining capacity. (January 4) 
  • Governor Ducey announced $7 million to expand available rental assistance and help keep people in their homes. (October 28) 
  • Governor Ducey announced that $715,000 from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund has been allocated to 19 organizations across the state that support individuals and families in need. (October 19) 
  • Governor Ducey announced that $750,000 of CARES Act funding will be allocated to organizations that provide services, including short-term housing, food and basic living assistance, employment support, education materials, and health services. (October 19) 
  • Governor Ducey announced that $750,000 of CARES Act funding will be allocated to organizations working to provide shelter for victims of domestic abuse. (August 17) 
  • Governor Ducey announced $975,000 from the AZ Coronavirus Relief Fund has been allocated to 12 organizations that provide shelter for those experiencing homelessness. The funding will support efforts to provide food, locate alternative housing to maintain social distancing among the homeless population, and clean and sanitize shelters to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (July 21) 

Business Support & Resources:

  • Governor Ducey signed an executive order renewing a moratorium on all new regulatory rulemaking by state agencies, limiting government regulations that inhibit job growth. (February 12) 
  • Governor Ducey announced an additional $1 million in funding for a program aimed at helping restaurants and other dining establishments expand outdoor seating. (January 27) 
  • Governor Ducey announced the recipients of a competitive $1 million grant program allocated to chambers of commerce across the state to implement or expand initiatives that support small businesses and accelerate local economic recovery. (December 14) 
  • Governor Ducey announced a grant program that will cover up to two months of rent or mortgage payments for gyms, bars, water parks, and theaters. (August 21) 
  • Governor Ducey announced $98 million in CARES Act funding for small business support and childcare programs. (August 13) 
  • Governor Ducey announced $600,000 toward the creation of the Arizona Small Business Association’s Live Local Program, which will help train small businesses on how to navigate resources during the pandemic, build relationships within their communities, and more. (July 8) 

SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS

Reopening:

  • Governor Ducey issued an executive order banning vaccine passports, preventing local governments from requiring residents to provide their COVID-19 vaccine status in order to receive service or enter a specific area. (April 20) 
  • The City of Tempe follows Phoenix, Flagstaff, and Tucson in defying Governor Ducey’s executive order lifting many COVID-19 restrictions, including banning local mask mandates. (April 9) 
  • The City of Phoenix will keep its mask mandate in effect despite Governor Ducey’s executive order lifting local mask mandates. (April 7) 
  • The Arizona Senate voted to end the state’s mandatory mask policy. (March 29) 
  • All Arizona residents 16 years of age and older became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at state-run facilities in Glendale, Tempe, Chandler-Gilbert, Tucson, and Yuma. (March 27) 
  • Governor Ducey announced events of more than 50 people will no longer need the approval of local governments, and the business guidance will transition from requirements to recommendations. (March 25)  
  • Registration at Arizona’s state-operated COVID-19 vaccination sites in Maricopa, Pima and Yuma counties will be open to all Arizonans 16 years of age and older on March 24. (March 22) 
  • Governor Ducey announced he would lift occupancy caps on businesses including bars, restaurants, gyms, theaters and water parks. Statewide mask and physical distancing requirements will remain in place. (March 5) 
  • Governor Ducey and the Arizona Department of Health Services announced a new hybrid approach that would make those 55 years of age and older as well as frontline essential workers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine (March 1) 
  • Arizona announced it would no longer require drivers to leave the house in order to renew a license, as the process can now be done online. (February 25) 
  • Governor Ducey and Arizona’s state Medicaid agency announced a first-in-the-nation initiative that would make it easier for Medicaid recipients to get transportation to drive-through COVID-19 vaccination appointments. (February 22) 
  • The Arizona Department of Health Services announced it would coordinate with local health departments to immediately allocate an initial $100 million in federal funding intended for staffing, laboratory testing, informatics, disease surveillance, and other activities critical to combating COVID-19. (February 19) 
  • The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and partners today launched a second COVID-19 vaccination site at Arizona State University’s (ASU) Phoenix Municipal Stadium. (February 1) 
  • Governor Ducey issued an executive order eliminating the need for Arizonans to visit the Motor Vehicle Division for licenses that expired between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021. (January 12) 
  • Governor Ducey and the Arizona Department of Health Services announced the state would open a 24/7 vaccination site in Glendale. (January 8) 
  • Governor Ducey announced Arizona would receive $65,769,416 from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention to support COVID-19 vaccine clinics and strengthen vaccine confidence and community engagement. (January 8) 
  • Governor Ducey issued an executive order that would streamline vaccine distribution and increase the number of vaccine centers. (December 30) 
  • Citizens over 75 are given top priority in the second phase for vaccinations in the state. (December 28) 
  • Arizona received its first dosages of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, with distribution set to begin later this week. (December 14) 
  • Parlor games and karaoke are now allowed at bars and nightclubs in the state, but dancing is prohibited, according to updated guidelines from the Arizona Department of Health Services. (October 23) 
  • Every county in Arizona now meets the state’s threshold for reopening, according to the Department of Health Services. (October 2) 
  • Governor Ducey said a new wave of restrictions will not follow even if some counties see an uptick in COVID-19 cases. (September 25) 
  • Governor Ducey issued an executive order extending the Enhanced Surveillance Advisory for COVID-19 and adding new influenza reporting requirements for health care facilities. (September 9) 
  • Governor Ducey announced that long-term care facilities will be allowed to resume in-person visitations if the location proves it is following state health guidelines. (September 3) 
  • Arizona bars, gyms, and movie theaters will be allowed to reopen if they can demonstrate to the state that they have proper protocols in place to stop the spread of COVID-19. (August 19) 
  • The Arizona Department of Health Services announced public health recommendations for the eventual safe reopening of paused businesses in the state. (August 10)

SCHOOL PLANNING

K-12:

  • Governor Ducey issued an executive order requiring all schools to offer in-person instruction. (March 3) 
  • Governor Ducey issued an executive order to assess learning loss from the pandemic and help students stay on track. (February 16) 
  • Governor Ducey said that Arizona would not be funding schools that do not offer in-person instruction after teachers are vaccinated. (January 12) 
  • The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) has issued an emergency measure requiring district and charter schools to immediately mandate that masks are worn on school campuses, on school buses, and during school-associated activities by all students, faculty, staff, contractors, and visitors. (November 19) 
  • Governor Ducey distributed $370 million in federal funding to K-12 school districts and charter schools. (November 19) 

State Higher Education:

  • A list of Arizona colleges and universities that planned to reopen in the fall can be found here. 
  • The University of Arizona will begin the move back to campus on May 17 with the goal of resuming most of its regular in-person operations by the start of the 2021-2022 academic year on August 23. (April 28) 
  • Governor Ducey allocated $115 million in funding for Arizona’s three public universities to support their COVID response. (December 30) 

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