The increase in new COVID-19 cases has led to some local governments ordering partial shutdowns, though they have so far been far more minor than those ordered in the spring.
COVID-19 continued to spread in the Verde Valley, reaching new highs last week. In the week from Tuesday, Nov. 24 through Tuesday, Dec. 1, the valley had 405 new cases, more than the total cases in the area from the beginning of the pandemic through mid-July, including the valley’s previous spike in June.
Cottonwood and Camp Verde have had the most new cases, with 175 and 80 respectively in the seven days leading up to Tuesday, while Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek had 48 and 22. Clarkdale, Rimrock, and Cornville had 32, 17 and 22, while Jerome had one.
This wave of the virus, which had not initially led to high hospitalizations or mortality, is beginning to, with 22 COVID-positive patients at Verde Valley Medical Center, a near-record high that represents nearly half of the hospital’s total patients. 13 individuals in the Verde Valley have died of the disease in the past week.
“This week we have consistently had greater than 20 patients in-house daily. These are the highest levels of in-patient cases since the onset of the pandemic,” VVMC Chief Medical Officer Leon Pontikes wrote in an email. “This number of cases, together with the length of time that the current COVID crisis has been going on continues to strain hospital resources across the country, and VVMC is no exception. Our most valuable resource is our dedicated staff, and keeping our staffing levels adequate to deal with the current demands remains a struggle. We have physical bed and ventilator capacity, but being able to fully staff to our capacity continues to be a challenge in all areas.”
Mingus Union High School District’s Governing Board voted at a sudden special meeting on Nov. 19 to postpone the return of students for in-person learning after Thanksgiving by a week, in the hopes of slowing the spread of the virus among students and staff after holiday gatherings.
Yavapai County has moved into the “Substantial Transmission” category — the “red” zone — for the state benchmarks for COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people and test positivity rates, while remaining in “Moderate Transmission” — yellow — for hospitalizations for COVID-like illnesses.
The night before, the Camp Verde Unified School District Governing Board held a similar emergency meeting, but decided to stay open and refocus on COVID-19 safety protocols. “I have talked with staff. I’ve talked with teachers. I’ve talked with custodians, I’ve talked with counselors. I’ve talked with parents. I’ve talked with the administration,” CVUSD Administrator-in- Charge Danny Howe told the board. “At this point, my recommendation would be to the board that we continue in the model that we’re in and move forward, trudge through this. I know there are risks, and I don’t want to down- play any of those …. The risks of students not being in school far outweighs the risk of COVID-19.”
The Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District announced on Monday, Nov. 30, that it would halt its bus service indefinitely due to “staffing shortages.”
“I recognize that this may create additional burdens for our families but we have no other option at this time,” COCSD Superintendent Steve King wrote in a letter to families. “We will continue to revisit this situation on a daily basis and will keep you informed of any changes.”
The district also a joint letter along with the city of Cottonwood urging people to adhere to COVID-19 precautions in order to stop them from possibility of school closures.
“As of today, we have seen no transmission within the schools, but sadly, we have seen students exposed at home who are knowingly sent to school,” the Nov. 24 joint letter from COCSD Superintendent Steve King and Cottonwood Mayor Tim Elinski reads. However, King and Elinski’s letter provided no evidence that parents are sending COVID- 19-infected students to school.
“When this happens, we are forced to quarantine groups of students, staff, and even entire classrooms in keeping with Yavapai County health department protocols. This, along with a nationwide shortage of substitutes, which we are seeing in our district, is placing great strains on our systems to keep our schools open. We urge you to help our schools and our community by limiting the exposure and spread of COVID-19.”
“You can do this by keeping students who are ill, have been exposed, or have had a suspected exposure at home,” the letter continues.
A May 12 Executive Order by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey blocked local governments from implementing the kinds of stay- at-home suggestions that he used to shut down businesses in March and April. However, local municipalities have begun to implement some increased limits on government office activities, even if they cannot restrict private entities.
Starting on Monday, the Town of Camp Verde transitioned back to its Phase 1 reopening restrictions, meaning that town offices are closed to non-employees unless they have made an appointment.
“Everything is the same that we’re already doing, except the doors will be locked,” Town Manager Russ Martin said. “Hopefully people will call before they come, make an appointment. That way we won’t have people hang out in the halls, in the front rooms, especially community development …. If all the street guys are out or all the police guys are out, those are the concerns that I have, that our services will be impacted because we have a pretty limited staff to begin with.”
Camp Verde leaders decided to cancel the town’s Christmas Craft Bazaar and Parade of Lights as well as postponing the Grasshopper basketball league.
“We’re looking at the numbers continuing to climb locally and region- ally throughout the state; it just didn’t seem like we could run these activities in a way that’s safe for the public,” Parks and Recreation Director Michael Marshall said. “We’re hoping we can do something that’s Christmas- and drive-by related.”
Likewise, the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce announced its intention to cancel the annual Christmas parade.
“It’s been 66 years pretty strong and consistent, so it definitely wasn’t an easy decision but it was the right decision,” Chamber President Christian Oliva del Rio said. Oliva del Rio said that in communications with local businesses, many were unsure whether they were planning on participating this year, and that concerns about onlookers, and the usual tradition of handing out candy to children, made it difficult to guarantee safety.
“I just couldn’t justify doing it and one person getting sick because of it,” he said.
