TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has issued a new executive order Thursday aiming to help those on the front lines battling COVID-19.
Ducey's order provides health care workers treating COVID-19 patients and their respective institutions immunity from civil liability for their treatment.
That means health care workers can't be sued for how they treated a COVID-19 patient. In Ducey's order, he says the health care workers are "presumed to have acted in good faith."
“Today’s order is issued in close consultation with public health officials and aligns with similar ‘Good Samaritan’ protections Arizona has provided to citizens acting in good faith during emergency situations," Ducey said in a statement Thursday.
While the order provides some protection, it does not provide immunity for "gross negligence or reckless or willful misconduct," including, but not limitied to, a health care worker rendering care "under the influence of alcohol or an intoxicating drug."
The order will remain in effect through the end of June.
