The Arizona Department of Health Services announced Monday, Aug. 10, the public health recommendations “for the eventual safe reopening of paused businesses in the state of Arizona.”
On June 27, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey issued Executive Order 2020-43 “Pausing of Arizona’s Reopening.” This paused the reopening of gyms, fitness centers, bars, nightclubs, waterparks, river tubing operations, live theaters and movie theaters.
It also limited indoor and outdoor gatherings to no more than 50 people. Since this order by Ducey, Arizona has seen a decline in its percent positivity, an increase in hospital capacity, and an improvement in other indicators, according to Ducey’s office.
On July 23, Ducey extended the order with a promise to review it every two weeks.
“ADHS has been working with several of these industries on guidelines for an eventual reopening and is recommending the following plan based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, the White House Coronavirus Task Force metrics, and expert advice from the medical and public health community,” a press release from the governor’s office reads. “The benchmarks are classified into ‘minimal,’ ‘moderate’ and ‘substantial’ transmission categories as defined by the CDC. Using public health data to inform these benchmarks, Arizona [as a state] is currently in the ‘substantial’ transmission phase.”
The benchmark metric is not based on today’s data, nor this week’s but rather a two-week block ending on the Sunday prior to 12 days ago, according to the governor’s office and ADHS.
For example, to see if it is safe for a business to open on Aug. 11, businesses owners should look at data not from Tuesday, Aug. 11, but rather the bi-weekly data calculated from the previous Sunday from before 12 days ago — [Aug. 11 minus 12 days, July 30, and then then previous Sunday, July 26] — so the weeks of July 12 to July 18, and July 19 to July 25, — to see if it’s safe to open on Aug. 11.
Upon this initial two-week review, ADHS advises keeping these restrictions in place for the time being, but is providing the following metrics for industry leaders and businesses to understand when a general reopening could be considered.
“Because Yavapai County currently qualifies as a county with moderate transmission by the Arizona Department of Health Services, gyms, movie theaters, and bars that have a food permit may reopen by filling out this attestation form stating they are in compliance with these ADHS mitigation requirements for businesses,” according to a press release from the city of Sedona.
Businesses can use the “attestation process” for review of individual circumstances in the event that they are denied the ability to reopen for public health reasons.
Upon completion of the attestation form, it must be posted in a visible location in the facility.
Businesses can fill out the form here: Official Reopening Attestation Form
Upon reopening, all industries must implement the safety protocols and guidelines prescribed by ADHS and must submit an attestation form stating they are in compliance. The attestation form shall be posted in a visible location in the facility. Additional details can be found in the ADHS COVID-19 Guidance for Businesses.
