TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Next week, the Pima County Health Department expects the disease data indicator on the COVID dashboard will officially move to yellow; assuming the positivity case count stays low and vaccinations continue moving forward smoothly.
“While we may say we are out of an emergent situation, we are still in a high-risk situation,” said Dr. Theresa Cullen, Pima County’s public health director.
Cases have now decreased in Arizona for seven consecutive weeks. Dr. Cara Christ, the state health director said, the state plans to wait for all of its metrics to get down to yellow for two weeks before loosening any restrictions.
“It does look like in the next couple of weeks we will have a couple of counties that may be back into the moderate range, and that would be fantastic. The whole state is trending in the right direction,” said Christ.
What Cullen said on this topic is in line with the state. She mentioned if the case level stays as low as it is now for the next 7 to 10 days, the county may start talking about easing some of those restrictions.
“I do believe you will see in the next 7-10 days, the public health department releasing a new public health advisory that has additional guidance in terms of what is appropriate for now,” said Cullen.
“As our metrics continue to improve, things that might be discussed would be increasing capacity, potentially opening other industries, easing restrictions on large groups; those types of things would be the things that we look at,” said Christ.
Restrictions such as staying 6-feet apart and wearing masks are among those that are not expected to change anytime soon.
