As of 11:38 a.m., on Wednesday, July 15, there have been 150,609 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Arizona with 1,027,125 tested, meaning 85.34% were negative, 14.66% were positive.
Federal unemployment benefits, allocated at $600 per week, are officially set to expire on Friday, July 31. Congress and federal staffers did not account for the fact states pay unemployment benefits based on weeks that end on a Saturday or Sunday, not a Friday, when passing the bill in March, meaning the last date federal benefits will be paid is this Sunday, July 26, not next Friday, July 31. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey said any extension would be to lawmakers in Congress.
Economists weigh the benefits to the economy by extending the benefits, cutting them back or letting them expire. Click here to read the analysis.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has limited pools to less than 10 people and limited public gatherings to 50 people or less. All gyms, bars, movie theaters, water parks and tubing will be closed at least until Monday, July 27. The opening day of Arizona’s public schools has been pushed back to Monday, Aug. 17.
MASKS
On Wednesday, June 17, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced that town councils, city councils and county boards of supervisors could mandate mask-wearing locally.
■ Yavapai County recommends but does not mandate masks.
■ The Coconino County Board of Supervisors chairwman mandated masks June 19, imposing a $2,500 fine for a Class 1 misdemeanor.
■ The Town of Camp Verde recommends but does not mandate masks.
■ The mayor of Clarkdale mandated masks June 19, imposing a $2,500 fine for a Class 1 misdemeanor. There was no vote by council.
■ The Cottonwood City Council voted 4-3 against masks; the mayor of Cottonwood mandated masks June 19. There is no penalty.
■ The Jerome Town Council voted to mandate masks June 23, imposing a $250 fine for civil violation.
■ The mayor of Sedona mandated masks June 26, imposing a $2,500 fine for a Class 1 misdemeanor. There was no vote by council.
STATE NUMBERS
✦ 2,640* in Coconino County, with 22,331 tested, 107 deaths, 1,536 recovered, 1,104 cases total although Coconino County Health and Human Services has not contacted all patients about their status. 1,116 cases are on tribal lands. Coconino County Health and Human Services website.
* State reports 2,736 cases.
✦ 1,472* in Yavapai County with 25,823 tested, 49 deaths, 594 recovered, 829 cases total although Yavapai County Community Health Services has not contacted all patients about their status. Yavapai County Community Health Services website.
*State reports 1,463 cases.
✦ 100,543 in Maricopa County, 1,599 deaths
✦ 13,990 in Pima County, 392 deaths
✦ 9,713 in Yuma County, 118 deaths
✦ 6,910 in Pinal County, 81 deaths
✦ 4,898 in Navajo County, 135 deaths
✦ 2,797 in Apache County, 100 deaths
✦ 2,401 in Santa Cruz County, 27 deaths
✦ 2,464 in Mohave County, 94 deaths
✦ 1,296 in Cochise County, 20 deaths
✦ 445 in La Paz County, 7 deaths
✦ 600 in Gila County, 9 deaths
✦ 314 in Graham County, 2 deaths
✦ 39 in Greenlee County, 1 death
Yavapai County cases by region
■ 187 in Cottonwood
■ 106 in Camp Verde
■ 81 in Sedona
■ 42 in Clarkdale
■ 23 in Cornville
■ 25 in Rimrock
■ 1 in “other Verde Valley”
■ 123 at Mingus Mountain Academy, a private girls boarding school. These cases are 9.8% of the county’s total number of cases. 93 students, 27 staffers
and 3 community members tested positive.
■ 867 Prescott area
■ 17 unknown (YCCHS did not clarify why)
Yavapai County cases by age
■ Under age 12: 51
■ 13 to 17: 130 (Most of these cases are from the 88 students who tested positive at the 141-student Mingus Mountain Academy, a residential treatment
center and boarding school for emotionally and behaviorally at-risk adolescent girls in Prescott Valley. Most are showing no symptoms)
■ 18 to 24: 160
■ 25 to 34: 201
■ 35 to 44: 155
■ 45 to 54: 166
■ 55 to 64: 213
■ 65 to 74: 202
■ 75 to 84: 111
■ 85 and older: 81
The Arizona Department of Health Services dashboard
Map of cases in Arizona by ZIP code
NORTHERN ARIZONA HEALTHCARE
You can now access regular updates by subscribing to NAHealth.com/stay-informed to receive information related to COVID-19 and your health and wellness via email.
Verde Valley Medical Center patient census (91 beds)
July 22: 67 total patients, 9 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
July 21: 54 total patients, 9 COVID-19 patients, 9 pending
July 20: 56 total patients, 8 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
July 19: 63 total patients, 9 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
July 18: 62 total patients, 9 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
July 17: 59 total patients, 10 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
July 16: 53 total patients, 11 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
July 15: 53 total patients, 11 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
July 14: 51 total patients, 13 COVID-19 patients, 7 pending
July 13: 49 total patients, 13 COVID-19 patients, 12 pending
July 12: 54 total patients, 14 COVID-19 patients, 6 pending
July 11: 58 total patients, 14 COVID-19 patients, 1 pending
July 10: 53 total patients, 15 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 9: 49 total patients, 16 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 8: 55 total patients, 15 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 7: 48 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 6: 47 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 5: 49 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 4: 53 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 3: 58 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 2: 53 total patients, 17 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
July 1: 52 total patients, 17 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
June 30: 51 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
June 29: 51 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
June 28: 53 total patients, 17 COVID-19 patients, 1 pending
June 27: 58 total patients, 17 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
June 26: 58 total patients, 17 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
June 25: 61 total patients, 14 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
June 24: 63 total patients, 12 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
June 23: 58 total patients, 10 COVID-19 patients, 0 pending
June 22: 59 total patients, 9 COVID-19 patients, 1 pending
June 21: 60 total patients, 8 COVID-19 patients, 1 pending
June 20: 63 total patients, 7 COVID-19 patients, 2 pending
June 19: 62 total patients, 6 COVID-19 patients, 1 pending
June 18: 60 total patients, 7 COVID-19 patients, 1 pending
June 17: 61 total patients, 3 COVID-19 patients, 1 pending
June 16: 59 total patients, 3 COVID-19 patients, 1 pending
June 15: 52 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 3 pending
June 14: 45 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 4 pending
June 13: 43 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
June 12: 50 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 6 pending
June 11: 52 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 13 pending
June 10: 51 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 9 pending
June 9: 54 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
June 8: 52 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
June 7: 50 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
June 6: 41 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 7 pending
June 5: 32 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
June 4: 42 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 6 pending
June 3: 43 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
June 2: 51 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
June 1: 56 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 22 pending
May 31: 54 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 3 pending
May 30: 53 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 3 pending
May 29: 51 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 4 pending
May 28: 50 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 2 pending
May 27: 54 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 2 pending
May 26: 53 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 1 pending
May 25: 47 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 2 pending
May 24: 39 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 2 pending
May 23: 52 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 4 pending
May 22: 65 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 6 pending
May 21: 66 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 6 pending
May 20: 67 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 6 pending
May 19: 58 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 4 pending
May 18: 53 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 4 pending
May 17: 48 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 4 pending
May 16: 47 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
May 15: 46 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
May 14: 43 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
May 13: 37 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 7 pending
May 12: 40 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
May 11: 43 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
May 10: 44 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
May 9: 38 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 7 pending
May 8: 43 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 3 pending
May 7: 40 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
May 6: 34 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 4 pending
May 5: 40 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 6 pending
May 4: 37 total patients, zero COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
May 3: 36 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 7 pending
May 2: 38 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 2 pending
May 1: 49 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 2 pending
April 30: 55 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 7 pending
April 29: 57 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 10 pending
April 28: 62 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 15 pending
April 27: 48 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 10 pending
April 26: 43 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 8 pending
April 25: 41 total patients, 2 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
April 24: 45 total patients, 2 COVID-19 patients, 13 pending
April 23: 49 total patients, 2 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
April 22: 46 total patients, 3 COVID-19 patients, 14 pending
April 21: 52 total patients, 3 COVID-19 patients, 12 pending
April 20: 49 total patients, 4 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
April 19: 44 total patients, 4 COVID-19 patients, 7 pending
April 18: 45 total patients, 4 COVID-19 patients, 9 pending
April 17: 43 total patients, 3 COVID-19 patients, 12 pending
April 16: 55 total patients, 5 COVID-19 patients, 14 pending
April 15: 48 total patients, 5 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
April 14: 48 total patients, 3 COVID-19 patients, 16 pending
April 13: 46 total patients, 3 COVID-19 patients, 17 pending
April 12: 45 total patients, 2 COVID-19 patients, 16 pending
April 11: 46 total patients, 2 COVID-19 patients, 13 pending
April 10: 39 total patients, 2 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
April 9: 31 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 5 pending
April 8: 37 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 4 pending
April 7: 46 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 6 pending
April 6: 41 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 8 pending
April 5: 33 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 10 pending
April 4: 35 total patients, 1 COVID-19 patient, 10 pending
April 3: 37 total patients, 3 COVID-19 patients, 7 pending
April 2: 35 total patients, 2 COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
Flagstaff Medical Center patient census (~310 beds)
July 22: 197 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
July 21: 200 total patients, 20 COVID-19 patients, 17 pending
July 20: 193 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 18 pending
July 19: 208 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
July 18: 203 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
July 17: 199 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
July 16: 202 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 22 pending
July 15: 206 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 23 pending
July 14: 201 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 21 pending
July 13: 194 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 18 pending
July 12: 182 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 17 pending
July 11: 198 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 15 pending
July 10: 210 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 13 pending
July 9: 220 total patients, 20 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
July 8: 220 total patients, 20 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
July 7: 193 total patients, 23 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
July 6: 186 total patients, 26 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
July 5: 204 total patients, 29 COVID-19 patients, 12 pending
July 4: 203 total patients, 27 COVID-19 patients, 13 pending
July 3: 202 total patients, 25 COVID-19 patients, 15 pending
July 2: 189 total patients, 24 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
July 1: 183 total patients, 21 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
June 30: 181 total patients, 22 COVID-19 patients, 9 pending
June 29: 178 total patients, 22 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
June 28: 182 total patients, 23 COVID-19 patients, 10 pending
June 27: 185 total patients, 24 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
June 26: 199 total patients, 23 COVID-19 patients, 9 pending
June 25: 187 total patients, 18 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
June 24: 191 total patients, 15 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
June 23: 213 total patients, 14 COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
June 22: 210 total patients, 14 COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
June 21: 209 total patients, 14 COVID-19 patients, 5 pending
June 20: 208 total patients, 13 COVID-19 patients, 6 pending
June 19: 206 total patients, 13 COVID-19 patients, 7 pending
June 18: 201 total patients, 13 COVID-19 patients, 8 pending
June 17: 195 total patients, 13 COVID-19 patients, 9 pending
June 16: 199 total patients, 13 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
June 15: 171 total patients, 11 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
June 14: 167 total patients, 10 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
June 13: 163 total patients, 11 COVID-19 patients, 15 pending
June 12: 175 total patients, 11 COVID-19 patients, 17 pending
June 11: 177 total patients, 12 COVID-19 patients, 18 pending
June 10: 181 total patients, 14 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
June 9: 190 total patients, 15 COVID-19 patients, 20 pending
June 8: 171 total patients, 16 COVID-19 patients, 32 pending
June 7: 160 total patients, 17 COVID-19 patients, 37 pending
June 6: 160 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 39 pending
June 5: 151 total patients, 20 COVID-19 patients, 48 pending
June 4: 148 total patients, 20 COVID-19 patients, 38 pending
June 3: 172 total patients, 25 COVID-19 patients, 61 pending
June 2: 171 total patients, 25 COVID-19 patients, 51 pending
June 1: 168 total patients, 24 COVID-19 patients, 42 pending
May 31: 147 total patients, 24 COVID-19 patients, 34 pending
May 30: 155 total patients, 24 COVID-19 patients, 31 pending
May 29: 163 total patients, 23 COVID-19 patients, 23 pending
May 28: 174 total patients, 23 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
May 27: 191 total patients, 24 COVID-19 patients, 18 pending
May 26: 192 total patients, 24 COVID-19 patients, 18 pending
May 25: 169 total patients, 20 COVID-19 patients, 15 pending
May 24: 172 total patients, 20 COVID-19 patients, 13 pending
May 23: 165 total patients, 16 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
May 22: 191 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 21 pending
May 21: 196 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 28 pending
May 20: 201 total patients, 19 COVID-19 patients, 35 pending
May 19: 193 total patients, 24 COVID-19 patients, 28 pending
May 18: 169 total patients, 27 COVID-19 patients, 20 pending
May 17: 148 total patients, 30 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
May 16: 154 total patients, 28 COVID-19 patients, 16 pending
May 15: 164 total patients, 26 COVID-19 patients, 18 pending
May 14: 154 total patients, 29 COVID-19 patients, 21 pending
May 13: 150 total patients, 33 COVID-19 patients, 16 pending
May 12: 152 total patients, 35 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
May 11: 151 total patients, 33 COVID-19 patients, 12 pending
May 10: 162 total patients, 34 COVID-19 patients, 14 pending
May 9: 147 total patients, 32 COVID-19 patients, 14 pending
May 8: 173 total patients, 36 COVID-19 patients, 27 pending
May 7: 169 total patients, 35 COVID-19 patients, 29 pending
May 6: 156 total patients, 37 COVID-19 patients, 32 pending
May 5: 161 total patients, 37 COVID-19 patients, 30 pending
May 4: 170 total patients, 37 COVID-19 patients, 27 pending
May 3: 167 total patients, 35 COVID-19 patients, 15 pending
May 2: 163 total patients, 39 COVID-19 patients, 15 pending
May 1: 150 total patients, 37 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
April 30: 150 total patients, 37 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
April 29: 166 total patients, 42 COVID-19 patients, 22 pending
April 28: 160 total patients, 34 COVID-19 patients, 21 pending
April 27: 160 total patients, 34 COVID-19 patients, 17 pending
April 26: 149 total patients, 31 COVID-19 patients, 14 pending
April 25: 151 total patients, 32 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
April 24: 152 total patients, 32 COVID-19 patients, 11 pending
April 23: 157 total patients, 37 COVID-19 patients, 15 pending
April 22: 152 total patients, 39 COVID-19 patients, 17 pending
April 21: 163 total patients, 39 COVID-19 patients, 22 pending
April 20: 163 total patients, 40 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
April 19: 167 total patients, 44 COVID-19 patients, 14 pending
April 18: 155 total patients, 45 COVID-19 patients, 15 pending
April 17: 147 total patients, 41 COVID-19 patients, 16 pending
April 16: 164 total patients, 44 COVID-19 patients, 29 pending
April 15: 171 total patients, 40 COVID-19 patients, 29 pending
April 14: 156 total patients, 36 COVID-19 patients, 37 pending
April 13: 154 total patients, 38 COVID-19 patients, 29 pending
April 12: 129 total patients, 41 COVID-19 patients, 21 pending
April 11: 121 total patients, 40 COVID-19 patients, 21 pending
April 10: 141 total patients, 45 COVID-19 patients, 31 pending
April 9: 127 total patients, 42 COVID-19 patients, 30 pending
April 8: 129 total patients, 39 COVID-19 patients, 14 pending
April 7: 130 total patients, 37 COVID-19 patients, 29 pending
April 6: 132 total patients, 37 COVID-19 patients, 29 pending
April 5: 114 total patients, 31 COVID-19 patients, 19 pending
April 4: 123 total patients, 31 COVID-19 patients, 17 pending
April 3: 141 total patients, 33 COVID-19 patients, 24 pending
April 2: 131 total patients, 32 COVID-19 patients, 21 pending
1,027,125 Arizonans have been tested for COVID-19 with 150,609 positive results, and 2,974 deaths. Yavapai County has tested 25,823 residents with 1,472 positive cases, 594 recovered, and 49 deaths.
HOW TO CATCH COVID-19
Six months into the coronavirus crisis, there’s a growing consensus about a central question: How do people become infected? It’s not common to contract COVID-19 from a contaminated surface, scientists say. And fleeting encounters with people outdoors are unlikely to spread the coronavirus. Instead, the major culprit is close-up, person-to-person interactions for extended periods. Crowded events, poorly ventilated areas and places where people are talking loudly — or singing, in one famous case — maximize the risk.
When people cough, sneeze or shout, they expel the virus in different amounts and sizes. Research shows it is usually carried in small respiratory droplets, say five microns or larger. When inhaled, they can infect anew. These respiratory droplets usually fall to the ground within three to six feet. To mitigate the spread, keeping a distance helps, and face masks can be highly effective, blocking the droplets from being inhaled or exhaled.
It is also evident the virus can be picked up from surfaces, so hand-washing is essential. Research has found the new coronavirus can last up to three days on plastic and metal surfaces and on cardboard for 24 hours. However, there are a lot of things that need to happen for a person to contract Covid-19 from touching a contaminated surface. First, a person must come in contact with enough of the virus to actually cause an infection. If a person happens to touch a surface with large traces of the virus, they’d have to pick up enough of the virus and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth—which is why public health experts say it’s so important to frequently wash your hands and avoid touching your face.
Think twice about what’s under your control to protect yourself. Wear a mask, wash your hands, open the windows, avoid enclosed and crowded spaces.
COTTONWOOD VILLAGE
Official statement from Cottonwood Village: Due to a recent spike in COVID-19 cases associated with some of the assisted living facilities in Yavapai County, Yavapai County Community Health Services has been providing guidance and assistance to mitigate spread, and is helping to coordinate testing, resources and personal protection equipment for some of our most vulnerable residents of Yavapai County. One of the facilities in question, Cottonwood Village, released the following statement for us to share:
The health and safety of the residents and employees at Cottonwood Village remains our top priority.
Many initiatives were put in place months ago to protect against COVID-19. These ongoing efforts include:
■ Strict disinfecting and sanitizing procedures, based on guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which meet or surpass all state and local guidelines
■ All staff wearing personal protective equipment
■ Transition of dining services to in-room dining only
■ Restricted access to the community to only essential healthcare partners
■ Screenings of anyone entering building and employees
■ Residents are isolated to their units
On June 19, 2020, the community conducted COVID-19 testing for all residents and employees. We learned that five employees tested positive along with 21 residents, 19 of whom are not exhibiting symptoms. We are awaiting results of 64 more tests from Spectrum Healthcare.
All residents are continually monitored through temperature taking and oxygen saturation readings. The community leadership continues to communicate with the families of all residents to keep them informed.
The staff are all dedicating themselves and forgoing their personal lives to make every effort to ensure residents remain comfortable during this difficult time.
Capital Senior Living, the parent company for Cottonwood Village, is formulating a plan to provide additional clinical personnel at the community to support efforts. A team is headed to Cottonwood Village this weekend.
We will continue to remain diligent on all fronts regarding the health, safety and well-being of residents and our hard-working team.
Going forward, please feel free to direct any media requests to us at: media@capitalsenior.com.
TESTING TYPES
There are three types of tests available for COVID-19: polymerase chain reaction (PCR), antigen, and antibody (serology) testing. PCR and antigen tests detect whether a person is currently infected, and serology detects whether a person had an infection in the past.
■ Nasopharyngeal (NP) or PCR test: Generally speaking, these are the most reliable tests. However, a few days may pass before the virus starts replicating in the throat and nose, so the test won’t identify someone who has recently been infected. These are the nasal swab tests. PCR tests can be incredibly accurate but running the tests and analyzing the results can take time.
■ Rapid Antigen test: Tests for acute infection from COVID-19. One of the main advantages of an antigen test is the speed of the test, which can provide results in minutes. However, antigen tests may not detect all active infections, as they do not work the same way as a PCR test. Antigen tests are very specific for the virus, but are not as sensitive as molecular PCR tests. This means that positive results from antigen tests are highly accurate, but there is a higher chance of false negatives, so negative results do not rule out infection. Negative results from an antigen test may need to be confirmed with a PCR test prior to making treatment decisions or to prevent the possible spread of the virus due to a false negative.
■ Antibody test: Does not test for an acute infection of COVID-19. Antibody tests check your blood by looking for antibodies, which may tell you if you had a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. If the test is negative it may be because it typically takes 1–3 weeks after infection for your body to make antibodies. It’s possible you could still get sick if you have been exposed to the virus recently. This means you could still spread the virus.
TESTING DELAYS
In the state with the highest per-capita rate of COVID-19 cases in America over the past week, Arizonans are waiting up to eight hours in the broiling hot sun to get tested. A metropolitan area of a million people was down to 17 available ICU beds Tuesday. A top health official in the largest county said the coronavirus is now so widespread that contact tracing is almost ineffective. Arizonans have reported waits of up to one or two weeks to receive results. That’s problematic not only from a convenience standpoint but also for slowing the spread of the virus.
It takes weeks to get COVID-19 test results in Arizona. It’s not just personally inconvenient for those waiting for results: The delays hinder the state’s ability to effectively contact trace and isolate cases and contacts, making it difficult to adequately control the spread of the virus. A person waiting for results may not isolate themselves from others. If people learn weeks later that they were positive, their contacts cannot be notified until after the results. Those contacts may not have been isolating, potentially spreading the virus to others.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ announced initiatives to boost staffing in underserved areas, get test results faster, and further enhance hospital staffing and capacity.
One of the initiatives is a strategic collaboration with Sonora Quest Laboratories, ADHS and PerkinElmer, Inc., a global leader committed to innovating for a healthier world, with one goal: expand COVID-19 testing in Arizona. The lab hopes to start providing test results within 24 hours, according to a company statement, instead of the six or seven days patients are waiting to learn if they are positive or negative.
NURSING HOME TESTING PROBLEMS
Turnaround in getting test results has been an issue at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Arizona, which have been hit hard by cases and deaths from the disease. Arizona nursing home officials say waits of more than a week for COVID-19 test results have made it difficult to detect and control the highly infectious virus that has killed hundreds of residents statewide. As the state begins another effort to increase testing, nursing home administrators say they need priority for testing and rapid results within 24 hours so they can quickly isolate infected residents and staffers — especially residents and staff who aren’t showing symptoms.
In Maricopa County, long-term care residents account for nearly half of the county’s total COVID-19 deaths. More than 3,300 residents and 1,500 staffers have been infected as of July 13, and 546 residents and four staffers have died of COVID-19 complications. In Yavapai County, almost a third of deaths reported are from long-term care facilities, which is devastating. The Yavapai County Emergency Operations team has been contacting and following up with every facility to offer guidance, testing and protective equipment daily to assist them.
CONTACT TRACING
Contact tracing consists of calling those who have tested positive for covid-19 — or those who have been in contact with them — and not only asking them to quarantine and providing them with resources to do so, but also building out the web of their contacts. Their job is part disease detective, part social work, and part therapist – when a phone call doesn’t go well in their line of work, it could be a matter of life or death.
YCCHS has invested in a team of contact tracers working with our Epidemiologist and Public Health Nurse Supervisor to assist with contacting our most recent positive cases. This is important work to assess the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. These volunteers are doctors, public health nurses and YCCHS staff. Please expect a call. The information they will be asking is to evaluate the test you received, how you think you contracted the virus, and the people close to you who may be at risk.
ARIZONA IS NOT NEW YORK
According to AZDHS, Arizona isn’t facing the same conditions as New York did in its COVID-19 outbreak.
In Arizona, more than 15,000 people are now being tested daily — a level that New York City didn’t reach until May. The percent testing positive has risen from 9% to 20% over the past month, a sign that the testing isn’t adequate to keep up with the spread of the disease. But Covid-19 is not raging out of control as it was in New York in March, at least not yet.
States and cities are cracking down on some of the likeliest channels of disease spread, such as bars. Opposition to mask-wearing is fading, at least among elected officials. Perhaps most important, once people know others who have become ill with the disease, they tend to take it a lot more seriously and adjust their behavior accordingly.
The choice now isn’t between opening the economy and letting Covid-19 rage. It’s implementing a few targeted policies (indoor mask-wearing; restrictions on bars and other indoor settings most conducive to transmission; investments in contact tracing and other public-health efforts) that could probably bring the disease under control, until we have vaccines and better treatments.
CDC’s GUIDELINES FOR REOPENING
PEAK COULD BE COMING
Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ is aware of predicted peaks in July or August, but she said she can’t make any determinations. “We are always planning for the worst-case scenario, hoping for the best and that future peaks can be mitigated” Christ said.
The state health department is focusing on public education, which includes teaching people about contact tracing, along with how to avoid getting sick by wearing a mask or avoiding large gatherings. “We are actively working on contact tracing,” she said, adding that it’s important to teach the public what it is and how to break the chain of transmission.
YOUTH RISE
As much of the country presses forward with reopening, a growing number of cities and states are finding that the coronavirus outbreak now has a foothold in a younger slice of the population, with people in their 20s and 30s accounting for a larger share of new coronavirus infections. Public health experts said the trend could be explained in several ways. More people are getting coronavirus tests. The criteria for who gets tested as well as the capacity to test them have expanded since the beginning of the pandemic. Early on, generally only people with symptoms or who were seriously ill could get tested at all.
WORKPLACE INFECTION
What happens if an employee is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19?
To ensure continuity of operations of essential functions, CDC advises that critical infrastructure workers may be permitted to continue work following potential exposure to COVID-19, provided they remain asymptomatic and additional precautions are implemented to protect them and the community.
■ Pre-Screen: Employers should measure the employee’s temperature and assess symptoms prior to them starting work. Ideally, temperature checks should happen before the individual enters the facility.
■ Regular Monitoring: If the employee doesn’t have a temperature or symptoms, they should self-monitor under the supervision of their employer’s occupational health program.
■ Wear a Mask: The employee should always wear a face mask while in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure. Employers can issue facemasks or can approve employees’ supplied cloth face coverings in the event of shortages.
■ Social Distance: The employee should maintain 6 feet and practice social distancing as work duties permit in the workplace.
Disinfect and Clean work spaces: Clean and disinfect all areas such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, shared electronic equipment routinely.
If the employee becomes sick during the day, they should be sent home immediately. Surfaces in their workspace should be cleaned and disinfected. Information on persons who had contact with the ill employee during the time the employee had symptoms and 2 days prior to symptoms should be compiled. Others at the facility with close contact within 6 feet of the employee during this time would be considered exposed.
Should workers notify their employers if they’ve been exposed to COVID-19?
Workers who have been potentially exposed to COVID-19 at work, home, or elsewhere should notify their employers. A potential exposure means being a household contact or having close contact within 6 feet of an individual with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. The timeframe for having contact with an individual includes the period of 48 hours before the individual became symptomatic.
2 DAYS TO 14 DAYS
How long is it between when a person is exposed to the virus and when they start showing symptoms?
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19: Fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and want to get tested, call your healthcare provider first to see which test they would recommend (PCR or Antibody). A list of testing sites can be found on the YCCHS website, below the COVID-19 dashboard.
The National Guard is assisting with contact tracing, if you have tested positive you may receive a call from 844-957-2721.
COVID-19 SUMMMER
According to the Global Heat Health Network, this year is on track to be one of the hottest on record, and public health officials worry that in cities across the US, summer heatwaves will collide with the coronavirus pandemic, with deadly consequences for poor, minority and older populations. Common public health actions to reduce heat-related illness and death may need to be modified in locations where they are restricted, unavailable or in contradiction to public health measures to limit the transmission of COVID-19. These measures include: “leave hot apartments for public spaces”; “go to public air-conditioned locations such as cooling centers, shopping malls, and libraries”; “regularly check on vulnerable persons”; “use fans to cool rooms without air-conditioning”; and “seek urgent medical care if showing signs of heat stroke”. Furthermore, hot weather conditions may complicate COVID-19 responses by increasing patient loads and creating occupational health risks for health workers and responders.
High temperatures kill hundreds of people every year. Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet more than 600 people die from extreme heat every year. Take measures to stay cool, remain hydrated, and keep informed. Getting too hot can make you sick. You can become ill from the heat if your body can’t compensate for it and properly cool you off.
EXTREME HEAT WORSENS RISKS
Early in the pandemic, many hoped summer weather would reduce the transmission of Covid-19. Based on patterns with past coronaviruses, some scientists suggested that factors like ultraviolet light on sunny days, humidity, and heat could potentially reduce the spread of Covid-19 by impairing the virus itself. But the evidence from the United States and other parts of the world shows warmer temperatures have done little to curb the rise in new cases.
When temperatures get searingly hot, people spend more time in enclosed spaces with issues of aerosol transmission and recycled air, presenting the greatest opportunity for infection if the virus is present. For a state like Arizona, it can be difficult to go outside at all for days at a time. If the heat keeps people isolated, that could slow the pandemic. However, if parks and open-air cafes are uncomfortable in the heat, people are likely to hop from one air-conditioned space to another — from a house, to a car, to a store, to restaurant, and so on. That’s why infection risk can remain high if people are frequently in groups, even small ones.
Another key concern is that with so many people infected now, there may be a rise in new Covid-19 infections within households as people shut doors and windows and switch on the A/C. Workplaces for people with essential jobs can also become major sources of transmission as they switch on cooling systems and seal off the outdoors. So many people can end up in high-risk scenarios for Covid-19 that are nearly impossible to avoid.
SCHOOL REOPENINGS
The Arizona Department of Education unveiled guidance for schools to reopen. It suggests that schools, families and educators approach
education through a much different lens in the upcoming 2020-21 school year as concerns over the coronavirus persist. The guidance recommends that
schools take a number of health and safety precautions, including:
✦ Screen students and employees for illness, which could include symptom checks and temperature checks.
✦ Enhance deep cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
✦ Consider modified layouts for classrooms, including spacing desks six feet apart.
✦ Try to limit physical interaction between students.
✦ Students more vulnerable to the illness should have virtual or other distance learning options.
✦ Stagger drop-off and pick-up times to further limit interactions between students.
✦ Students should sit apart on buses.
✦ In lieu of bigger gatherings including assemblies and field trips, schools should create virtual options.
✦ The guidance recommends convening sporting events in a way that mitigates risk to those involved but does not detail ways to mitigate such risk.
✦ Keep groups static: Children and staff should interact with each other in the same groups.
✦ Designate a staff person to be the point of contact for COVID-19 related concerns.
✦ Individual belongings should be separated by child.
✦ Officials should develop disinfecting protocols in schools and buses.
✦ Cloth face coverings should be worn by students and staff when “feasible,” particularly when physical distancing is difficult.
✦ Communal spaces including cafeterias and playgrounds with shared equipment should be closed if possible or use of those locations should be staggered with enough time to clean between uses.
A VACCINE?
Vaccines in development around the world are in various stages of testing. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he’s confident one of the vaccine candidates will be proven safe and effective by the first quarter of 2021.
Here’s how the vaccine development process typically works:
First, a vaccine is usually tested in animals before humans. If the results are promising, a three-phase trial in humans will begin:
Phase 1: The vaccine is given to a small group of people to assess safety and, sometimes, immune system response. If things go well, researchers move on to:
Phase 2: This phase increases the number of participants — often into the hundreds — for a randomized trial. More members of at-risk groups are included.
“In Phase II, the clinical study is expanded and vaccine is given to people who have characteristics (such as age and physical health) similar to those for whom the new vaccine is intended,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the results are promising, the trial moves to:
Phase 3: This phase tests for efficacy and safety with thousands (or tens of thousands) of people. The substantially larger number of participants in this phase helps researchers learn about possible rare side effects from the vaccine.
Visualizing What COVID-19 Does to Your Body
Study finds 88% of COVID-19 patients on ventilators didn’t survive in New York’s hospital system
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/coronavirus-us-new-york-hospital-ventilator-death-rate-latest-a9479411.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/22/coronavirus-ventilators-survival/
THE SEVEN CORONAVIRUSES
Coronaviruses are named for the crown-like spikes on their surface. There are four main sub-groupings of coronaviruses, known as alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. Human coronaviruses were first identified in the mid-1960s. Coronaviruses have a worldwide distribution, causing 10% to 15% of common cold cases (the virus most commonly implicated in the common cold is a rhinovirus, found in 30–80% of cases). The seven coronaviruses that can infect people are:
1) Human coronavirus 229E or HCoV-229E (alpha coronavirus). A researcher at the University of Chicago, Dorothy Hamre, first identified 229E in 1965. HcoV-NL63 appears to be a recombinant between an ancestral NL63-like virus circulating in African Triaenops afer bats and a CoV 229E-like virus circulating in Hipposideros sp bats.
2) Human coronavirus NL63 or HCoV-NL63 (alpha coronavirus). The virus is found primarily in young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients with acute respiratory illness. It also has a seasonal association in temperate climates. A study performed in Amsterdam estimated the presence of HCoV-NL63 in approximately 4.7% of common respiratory illnesses. The virus originated from infected palm civets and bats.
3) Human coronavirus OC43 or HCoV-OC43 (beta coronavirus). Comparison of HCoV-OC43 with the most closely related strain of Betacoronavirus 1 species, bovine coronavirus, indicated that they had a most recent common ancestor in the late 19th century, with several methods yielding most probable dates around 1890, leading authors to speculate that an introduction of the former strain to the human population might have caused the 1889–1890 flu pandemic. HCoV-OC43 likely originated in rodents.
4) Human coronavirus HKU1 or HCoV-HKU1 (beta coronavirus). HCoV-HKU1 was first detected in January 2005, in a 71-year-old man who was hospitalized due to acute respiratory distress syndrome and radiographically confirmed bilateral pneumonia. The man had recently returned to Hong Kong from Shenzhen, China. A trace-back analysis of SARS negative nasopharyngeal aspirates from patients with respiratory illness during the SARS period in 2003, identified the presence of CoV-HKU1 RNA in the sample from a 35-year-old woman with pneumonia. Following the initial reports of the discovery of HCoV-HKU1, the virus was identified that same year in 10 patients in northern Australia. Respiratory samples were collected between May and August (winter in Australia). Investigators found that most of the HCoV-HKU1–positive samples originated from children in the later winter months. Phylogenetic analysis showed that HKU1 is most closely related to the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), and is distinct in that regard from the other known human betacoronaviruses, such as HCoV-OC43.
These four common ones rarely cause much harm in humans. The final three are deadly, but death rates and infection rates vary.
5) MERS-CoV (the beta coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS), that spreads very slowly. The first confirmed case was reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. The virus appears to have originated in bats. The virus itself has been isolated from a bat. This virus is closely related to the Tylonycteris bat coronavirus HKU4 and Pipistrellus bat coronavirus HKU5.Serological evidence shows that these viruses have infected camels for at least 20 years. The most recent common ancestor of several human strains has been dated to March 2012. As of November, 2019, 2,494 cases of MERS have been reported with 858 deaths, so the case fatality rate is less than 30%. Some 182 genomes have been sequenced by 2015, 94 from humans and 88 from dromedary camels. All sequences are more than 99% similar. The genomes can be divided into two clades – A and B – with the majority of cases being caused by clade B. Human and camel strains are intermixed suggesting multiple transmission events.
6) SARS-CoV (the beta coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS), that also spreads very slowly and kills 9.6% of those infected, 811 since 2003. On 16 April 2003, following the outbreak of SARS in Asia and secondary cases elsewhere in the world, the World Health Organization issued a press release stating that the coronavirus identified by a number of laboratories was the official cause of SARS. In the SARS outbreak of 2003, about 9% of patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-1 infection died. The mortality rate was much higher for those over 60 years old, with mortality rates approaching 50% for this subset of patients.
7) SARS-CoV-2 (the novel coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19), that spreads fast, but kills between 0.5% to 1.5% (the number of asymptomatic carriers make it hard to determine).
PROJECTIONS
Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation
US AND WORLD DATA
The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center provides international and county-level reporting, including estimated recovery numbers at coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
FLU ACTIVITY
Flu activity is at low, summertime levels, and the CDC will be concluding their weekly surveillance report of FluView for the 2019-2020 season. Their preliminary estimates for influenza illnesses is 39 million to 56 million and 24,000 to 62,000 deaths in the United States through April 4, 2020. The CDC is now modifying existing surveillance systems, many used to track influenza and other respiratory viruses annually, to track COVID-19. Arizona has seen 34,082 cases of the flu this season, with 620 cases in Yavapai County.
“OPENING UP AMERICA AGAIN” PLAN https://www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/
FOOD BANKS
Manzanita Outreach in the Verde Valley has a reference to food sharing opportunities at Mohelp.org
WHAT IS HERD IMMUNITY?
What is herd immunity and how many people need to be vaccinated to protect a community?
https://theconversation.com/what-is-herd-immunity-and-how-many-people-need-to-be-vaccinated-to-protect-a-community-116355
How Will Herd Immunity End the Pandemic?
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/10/opinion/its-possible-flatten-curve-too-long/
HOW DOES HERD IMMUNITY WORK?
Our bodies build up immunity by producing antibodies that recognize and fight off an infection from invading pathogens such as COVID-19. Your body can build up these antibodies naturally after you are exposed to and sickened by a virus, or you can receive a vaccine that elicits the same antibody response without the infection.
Immunity often means you’re protected from a repeat infection; plus, you won’t pass the disease to others. Someone who is immune to measles, for example, won’t unknowingly spread the disease. Instead, most viruses spread when an infected and contagious person encounters another person who is not immune to that particular virus.
According to John Hopkins University of Medicine, to reach herd immunity for COVID-19, likely 70% or more of the population would need to be immune.
Without a vaccine, over 200 million Americans would have to get infected before we reach this threshold. Put another way, even if the current pace of the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the United States – with over 25,000 confirmed cases a day – it will be well into 2021 before we reach herd immunity.
If current daily death rates continue, over 500,000 Americans Could be dead from COVID-19 by that time.
What’s unknown is how long immunity lasts – and only six months into the outbreak, there is no way to know. If it’s for life, then every survivor will add to a permanent block against the pathogen’s spread. But if immunity is short, as it is for the common coronaviruses, COVID-19 could set itself up as a seasonal superflu with a high fatality rate – one that emerges every winter.
TESTING SITES
■ Spectrum Healthcare, 651 Mingus Ave., Cottonwood, (928) 634-2236. Offering telehealth screening prior to testing
■ Immediate Care, 1298 Finnie Flat Road, Camp Verde, AZ, (928) 639-5555. Providing testing at provider discretion based on symptoms, contacts and travel within the last 14 days. Open 8-8.
Northern Arizona Healthcare will no longer offer drive-through testing at Verde Valley Medical Center due to the need to increase resources to other care areas but will provide testing at Northern Arizona Healthcare’s lab collection sites for patients with no symptoms.
OTHER RESOURCES
For Yavapai County data and COVID-19 Resources for Re-Opening, www.yavapai.us/chs
Yavapai Emergency Phone Bank: 928-442-5103 Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. TO 5 p.m.
Arizona 2-1-1: A resource for all the time, not just during COVID-19. https://211arizona.org/
COVID-19 information en español: https://azhealth.gov/covid-19
Yavapai Stronger Together – https://justicementalhealth.com/resources-support/#covid19
WHEN TO GO TO THE DOCTOR
Symptoms of COVID-19 primarily include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. These symptoms appear 2 to 14 days after exposure.
■ COVID-19 spreads between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) via coughs or sneezes. It may also spread by touching a surface or object with the virus on it.
■ People are thought to be most contagious when they are the sickest, though some spread is possible before people show symptoms.
■ Prevention starts with practicing good personal health habits: stay home when you’re sick, cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, wash your hands often with soap and water, and clean frequently touched surfaces and objects.
■ Getting plenty of rest, drinking fluids, eating healthy foods, and managing your stress may help you prevent getting COVID-19 and recover from it if you do.
Doctors across the country have noticed that that patients with heart attacks, appendicitis, and mild strokes are arriving later than they should to the emergency room. You should go to the ER if you are experiencing symptoms that could be potentially life-threatening or cause harm if they are not addressed immediately. Examples of these symptoms include chest pain, difficulty breathing, face drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulty, or acute injury or trauma. Similarly, if you are in immense pain, you should not hesitate to call 9-1-1 or go to an ER.
Perhaps you’ve noticed abnormal swelling in one of your limbs, pain in your abdomen, a strange lump or sudden weight gain. Ideally you should call your health care provider for urgent symptoms that don’t require an ER visit. If you don’t have a primary care physician, you might call or seek out a local urgent care clinic.
For patients who have medical issues such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart or kidney disease, along with a change in health status such as swelling in legs, shortness of breath, chest pain or a temperature, it’s really hard to evaluate in an appropriate manner through telehealth, and these patients should call the office, instead of emailing or using a patient portal, so the doctor can triage over the phone and, likely, have them come in. Specialists are also seeing patients for some ongoing or urgent issues, you should not hesitate to call their offices.
Anything needing a physical examination, or a formal assessment before treating, needs to be done in person. For newborns with immune systems that are not fully developed, who also need consistent weight checks, it’s still important to continue to see their pediatricians on schedule. Patients receiving cancer treatment or those who are on dialysis also need to go to all their regularly scheduled appointments. Other regular healthcare visits may require careful discussion with your provider.
