Governor Ducey pitched COVID-19 vaccine as open hospital beds hit record lows

Phoenix — Governor Doug Ducey It was the lowest ever since the start of the pandemic, begging people to get the COVID-19 vaccine when they were qualified for hospital capacity on December 16.

The governor visited the COVID-19 vaccine distribution site in Fairgrounds, Arizona on Wednesday, spoke about the fight against the virus, and announced an additional $ 15 million to the state health department.

The Governor visited a drive-through vaccination site run by Banner Health staff with the participation of Dr. Cara Christ, Director of Health, Arizona.

Ducey announced the names of 10 people who received the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday. Christ is included in 10 people.

The next frontline worker received the first Arizona vaccine:

• Regina Villa, Registered Nurse
• Certified Nursing Assistant, Miona Hori
• Eddie de la Torre, registered nurse
• Allison McCabe, a registered nurse in a skilled nursing facility
• Arizona National Guard Medic, Will Smith
• Captain Jeff Stever, Mesa Fire Department
• Captain Kenny Overton, Phoenix Fire
• Valleywise Health Surgeon, Dr. Ross Goldberg
• Dr. Edmond Baker, Regional Physician
• Dr. Kara Christ, Physician and ADHS Director

“The vaccine is here and we are delivering it to healthcare professionals right away,” said Governor Ducey. “This is an important step in the fight against COVID-19, but the fight is not over. We will continue to encourage Arizonas to follow mitigation measures and receive the COVID-19 vaccine if possible. We thank the frontline workers, medical professionals, and everyone who works hard to distribute the vaccine quickly and efficiently, “Ducey said.

Following Ducey’s announcement, Dr. Christ and frontline healthcare professionals COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when it first appears Vaccines, according to a news release from the Ministry of Health.

Ducey continued to resist pressure to impose new business restrictions and state-wide masking obligations, which were required by hospital leaders and several mayors to curb the spread of the virus.

“If we want to stop the spread of the virus, Arizonas need to step up and vaccinate,” said Banner Health at a state trade fair where healthcare workers will begin vaccination on Thursday. Duchy told reporters while the car was stopped. “It’s our best shot to get back to normal.”

See the full press conference here:

By the end of the year, Arizona had been assigned 384,000 vaccinations. Vaccinations for health care workers began on Tuesday. Nursing home patients and staff follow. Older people and those with underlying illnesses who are more susceptible to infection are expected to qualify sometime in the spring, followed by healthy adults.

State Health Department announced on December 16 as state vaccination programs began to be strengthened 4,848 known COVID-19 cases and 108 deaths reported, The state has a total of 429,219 cases and 7,530 deaths.

According to the state’s coronavirus dashboard, a record 92% of Arizona’s inpatient beds were filled on Tuesday by either coronavirus patients or those hospitalized for other reasons, with only 8% available. did.

The· Dashboard The beds occupied on Tuesday showed that they were divided almost evenly among 3,809 coronavirus patients and 4,040 nonviral patients.

Bed usage in Arizona has been in the 10% range since early December.

And according to researchers at Arizona State University who are tracking the pandemic, there is no end to it.

The state is currently seeing more cases than when Arizona was a national hotspot in June and July. Dr. Joshua Labea, secretary-general of the Arizona State University Institute for Biodesign, said measures to slow the spread of hospitals are less than available in the summer and are limited.

“Currently, it’s that one illness that pushes almost one of the two beds in the hospital,” says La Baer. “When thinking about what can be distressing to people, it’s a staggering statistic, and it’s certainly keeping people away from the hospital to make beds available for COVID patients at this point. It means that we have to make a decision about. “

Hospital executives and public health experts warn that the current surge since Thanksgiving could exceed the capabilities of this month’s healthcare system.

Wednesday’s report of 108 known deaths includes the results of a review of past death certificates in which state health officials attributed some additional deaths to COVID-19 in the report that day. It was tied with the number reported on December 9th.

Health service officials did not immediately answer the Associated Press question asking if Wednesday’s report included the results of a death certificate review.

The state had the highest daily deaths from the coronavirus on 30 July out of 172 during the summer surge in infectious diseases.

The recent significant increase in state deaths from COVID-19 is due to the rise in Arizona’s seven-day moving average from 24.6 per day on December 1st to 64.1 on Tuesday.

Daily new cases and daily positive state moving averages for the COVID-19 test also increased during that period.

Meanwhile, Arizona, the week that ended on Tuesday, had the fourth lowest rate of coronavirus diagnosis in the U.S. state, with one in 155 diagnosed with the virus between December 8 and 15. ..

The diagnosis rate is calculated by dividing the state’s total population by the number of new cases in the previous week.

The first shipment of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine has arrived Arizona The state plans to receive 383,750 COVID-19 vaccines by the end of December.

“Maricopa is given about 47,000 times and Pima is given about 11,000 times, for a total of about 58,000 times,” he read part of a statement released by a Ducey office official.

In southern Arizona, the Pima County Supervisory Board voted on December 15. Enforce a mandatory curfew To suppress the spread of COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when it first appears.. The curfew starts immediately from 10 pm to 5 am.

There is no strict curfew deadline, but the county’s positive rate must drop to 100 for every 100,000 residents in a week. That number is currently 357.

A voluntary curfew has been issued in Pima County since November 24th. However, after observing and collecting data from many companies last weekend, some county officials said the curfew was not sufficient.

Related: Pima County Health Director tested positive for COVID-19 during outbreaks within the department

In another development, the Veterans Affairs Bureau began on December 15th. Management of COVID-19 vaccination For Phoenix staff and veterans, start with the staff at the VA Healthcare System Nursing Home.

Vaccination is voluntary for both staff and veterans. It will be offered next to the staff in the emergency department and intensive care unit of the Phoenix Medical Center in the Department of Veterans Affairs, spokeswoman Cindy Dorfner said.

VA’s healthcare system in Phoenix was one of 37 VA sites nationwide selected to provide vaccinations because it can immunize large numbers of people and store vaccines at the required cryogenic temperatures. ..

Because many people have not been tested, the number of infections is thought to be much higher than reported, and studies show that people can get the virus without feeling sick.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough, which heals in a few weeks. For some people, especially the elderly and those with health problems, it can cause more serious illnesses such as pneumonia and death. The majority of people will recover.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Relation: Is it the flu, the cold, or the COVID-19?Different viruses show similar symptoms

To protect yourself from the possibility of infection CDC Recommendations:

• Avoid close contact with sick people.
• Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Stay home when you are ill.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with tissue and throw the tissue in the trash.
• Use regular household cleaning sprays or wipes to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when you are around others
• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom. Before eating; after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Monitor your health daily

map: Globally interactive coronavirus case data

map: Cases of Arizona coronavirus by zip code

Full coverage: fox10phoenix.com/coronavirus

CDC: Coronavirus spread, symptoms, prevention, treatment, frequently asked questions

Arizona COVID-19 Resources, FAQ: azdhs.gov/coronavirus

on CoronavirusNOW.comYou can find extensive coverage of COVID-19, including the latest news from around the country, exclusive interviews with health authorities, and informative content from various public health resources.

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