TUCSON, Ariz. — The rise in COVID-19 cases has resulted in Pima County Health issuing a voluntary curfew.
"We're trying to encourage folks to take steps to minimize their contact, especially unnecessary contact," said Aaron Pacheco, spokesperson for the Pima County Health Department.
The details are as follows: the time frame for the voluntary curfew is between the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day.
County health said it will be in place until December 31st.
"We're seeing the highest total weekly case counts in the last two weeks. Even higher than we saw over the summer with a huge peak."
In a memo, County Administrator, Chuck Huckelberry highlighted 1,985 cases reported over a period between the 15th and 21st of November.
With 7 days left in the month, Huckelberry said in the memo Pima County has now exceeded the total amount reported in July, the height of the summer outbreak.
The health department said when cases rose earlier this semester at the University of Arizona, similar orders were put in place.
"We saw that that voluntary shelter-in-place worked. So we're hoping to have some carryover out into the larger community from that."
The county emphasizes this is a stand-alone, voluntary order.
"It's not meant to be part of any larger implementation."
County health said it won't enforce legally, but why the hours of 10 at night to 5 in the morning?
"Later in the day, we know that sometimes those aren't exposures that are necessary."
According to Huckelberry, 878 new COVID cases were reported last Sunday in Pima County.
