After Grassroots Uprising, AZ Governor Issues Stay-At-Home Order To Prevent Spread Of COVID-19

Gov. Doug Ducey Monday capitulated to a mounting grassroots effort by Arizona citizens demanding that he issue a “stay-at-home” or “shelter-in-place” order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In recent weeks, some 30 states have issued “shelter-in-place” orders and some are even discouraging visits by out-of-towners from high infection locales like New York City. AZ Republican Gov. Doug Ducey took the opposite approach.

On March 23, Ducey issued an executive order prohibiting any county, city or town from issuing any order or regulation “restricting persons from leaving their home due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.” Ducey’s order prevented local municipalities from issuing shelter-in-place regulations.

This, despite the fact that Arizona is one of America’s “oldest” states, with 1.3 million residents aged 65 and above. Research shows the aged and people with chronic conditions are most likely to face serious complications or death from COVID-19.

A week ago, Scottsdale physician JulieAnn K. Heathcott filed a petition on Change.com calling on Ducey to “lockdown Arizona” by issuing a “shelter-in-place” order. She bemoaned the fact that people are crowding state hiking paths, congregating at stores, bars and in neighborhoods and otherwise “ignoring what we need to do to decrease the curve.”

Almost 200,000 people had signed Heathcliff’s petition on Monday.

A shelter-in-place order generally requires residents to stay home unless they have an urgent need to go out for specific allowable purposes – such as grocery shopping, trips to the pharmacy or the bank, and to periodically exercise at a space of six feet apart from others.

Ducey’s stay-at-home order will take effect Tuesday at close of business. The order permits residents to go out for essential services such as buying groceries and medicine.

Political Tone

The issue took on a strident political tone Monday when nine Democratic Arizona mayors sent Ducey a letter in which they “fervently” called upon him to issue a “stay at home” order. The mayors of Phoenix, Flagstaff, Tolleson, El Mirage, Tucson, Winslow, Superior, Fountain Hills and Guadalupe wrote that state health officials had already recommended Ducey enact a “stay at home” order and cited “recent empirical findings that support social distancing as an effective mechanism by which to slow the spread of COVID-10.”

Ducey maintained on March 23 that Arizona was not at the stage where a shelter-in-place order was necessary, though two of Arizona’s neighbors, California and New Mexico, have issued such orders.

Numbers posted by the Arizona Department of Health Services on Monday show 1,157 cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Arizona with 20 known deaths.

Arizona health officials say COVID-19 cases will peak in the state in April and May, potentially resulting in thousands of deaths. Research shows the aged and those with chronic conditions are most likely to experience serious complications and death from COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Wendy Smith-Reeve, Arizona’s Director of Emergency Management since 2013, handed in her resignation, which was accepted by Ducey, effective Tuesday. She complained that Ducey is not following the state’s emergency response plan, which he had approved in 2017. Indeed, Smith-Reeve wrote: “The directives from the Governor’s office have been to work completely outside of the” plan.

“Please … Prevent doctors from choosing who gets a ventilator.”

Heathcott, an obstetrician-gynecologist, argued a shelter-in-place order is critical:

“We, Arizona physicians and non physicians, are begging for the Governor to lock down the State since the President will not make the decision … Please prevent more from dying. Prevent more health care workers from getting sick. Prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed. Prevent doctors from choosing who gets a ventilator.”

Thumbs Down

Ducey’s stay-at-home order followed an earlier order on Monday to close public schools until the end of the school year.

In addition, Ducey tweeted that his administration was focusing on protecting those “most at risk and vulnerable” by providing nearly $7 million for food banks and services that support the homeless.

However, instead of a grateful thumbs up, his announcements elicited criticism for failing to “shut down” the state.

• “Have you seen the parks, the restaurants … It’s a disaster about to happen, and only you can help us.” @ohitsyoujoe
• You’re still doing NOTHING to help the Seniors. I’m 74, Disabled, Widow, COPD/CHF, symptoms, —No test available—alone, scared—HELP!!! @caninereporter
• Bandaids on a sinking ship. Can we remove ducey? Is that a thing? @hollie44826294
• “Shelter in place would be a great idea too bud.” @ajomondephoto

Many of the writers noted that Arizona has drifted into the “purple” category of states, meaning that it is no longer reliably Republican.