AzHHA will continue to urge the public to follow CDC guidelines: get your vaccine, wear a mask and stay home when sick.

Governor Doug Ducey today issued Executive Order 2021-06 which rescinds previous executive orders relating to COVID-19 mitigation efforts. This includes the ability of cities, towns and counties to adopt and enforce mask mandates. Under the new executive order:

• Events of more than 50 people will no longer need the approval of local governments.
• Previous business guidance will transition from requirements to recommendations, with businesses having the ability to continue requiring masks and social distancing.
• Bars that have already been allowed to operate as “dine-in” will now be allowed to resume regular operations, with the ability to require social distancing and masks.

While AzHHA understands the toll that many of these mitigation efforts have taken on Arizonans and that everyone wants to “get back to normal,” we believe it is too early to ease up on mitigation. With only 26.8% of our state vaccinated, we are far from achieving herd immunity. Moreover, we still do not know much about the new COVID-19 variants circulating in Arizona and other states.

AzHHA believes the science is clear; mitigation works. As such, AzHHA will continue to urge the public to follow CDC guidelines: get your vaccine, wear a mask and stay home when sick.

President and CEO, Ann-Marie Alameddin, shared the following statement with the Arizona Republic following the Governor’s Executive Order:

Proven public health mitigation efforts continue to be crucial until Arizona reaches herd immunity—we have a good start but have a long way to go. We urge all Arizonans to continue to follow the latest public health guidance so we can reach the point where the majority of our community population is immunized against COVID-19. We can put COVID behind us, but we all need to do our part. Our frontline healthcare heroes are counting on you—get your vaccine, wear a mask and stay home when sick. 

–Ann-Marie Alameddin, Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association President and CEO

Holly Ward is working with member public relations and communications peers to further coordinate a unified response. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance in our communication efforts.