Arizona Now Has the Highest COVID Infection Rate in the Entire World - Governor does nothing

[Demovictory9]

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Customers cheer as Debbie Thompson, owner of the Horseshoe Cafe, informs them that she is violating the state's stay-at-home order by allowing guest dining at her restaurant in Wickenburg, Arizona, in May.Matt York/AP


Arizona Now Has the Highest COVID Infection Rate in the Entire World
Meanwhile, Gov. Doug Ducey continues to do nothing.

After months of mishandling its COVID-19 response, Arizona has reached a new low: The state now has the highest infection rate of anywhere in the world, according to new data released this week. Over the past seven days, the state has seen a daily average of 118.3 new cases per 100,000 residents, well above countries like the Czech Republic (99.4) and the United Kingdom (86).

But if you drive around many parts of the state, you wouldn’t know that it leads the world in infections. That’s because Gov. Doug Ducey and municipal leaders think it’s perfectly fine to just keep doing what Arizonans have been doing for months, which perhaps is best described as “whatever the hell they want”—including eating and drinking inside at bars and restaurants so long as you wear a mask when you first walk through the door.

Ducey refuses to enact a statewide mask mandate or make changes to his unusually relaxed restrictions on large events, indoor gatherings, and non-essential business openings. Driving around Tucson, I see packed parking lots at outlet malls, lines out the door at brunch places with indoor seating only, and sports bars with dozens of people hanging out inside without masks. Bowling alleys, arcades, and movie theaters are also open at half capacity, and indoor gyms at 25 percent occupancy.

Link to tweet

[roamer65]

1. That thing with the Dump shirt...

Alien human hybrid?

[diane in sf]

2. Old, toothless alcoholic, judging by the customers an old motorcycle moll.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. Christmas and New Years parties must have been a real blast....

of COVID-19 aerosols and surface contamination.........


Contradictory to basic Rethug pro-business policy, that's not good for attracting tourists and retirees....

[JDC]

4. Gross on many, many levels.

[panader0]

5. Damn, I think I ate there a few years ago on my way home from Vegas

where my daughter had just been married. I remember being quite hungover.
I'm in Cochise County in the SE corner and we have about 10,000 cases in a
county with 130,000 people. I'm glad to live in the boonies--no one around.
Ducey just recently said he will re-open the schools. He is the same magat
who mocked Biden's stutter when he appeared at at rally with trump.

[Roisin Ni Fiachra]

6. Breaking: Arizona Wins Coveted Darwin Award

Arizona Republican Stupid Designated #1 in Nation.

[tanyev]

7. "Yay, Debbie!" *cough, cough, cough* "Hooray!" *cough, cough, cough*

[Hortensis]

8. Disease disruption was and is used by bad leaders to take power.

All over the planet, and it's not a new technique.

Given what the Republicans have become, it would be foolish to assume they didn't and aren't stopping this one merely because of incompetence. Though their ability to use it to get consolidate control of our nation and various states is not exactly the definition of competence.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Never fear! The Arizona GOP plans to censure Gov Ducey and roll back his actions

for doing too much about Covid.

Separate censure resolutions up for consideration at the party's meeting would censure two other leading Arizona Republicans: former Sen. Jeff Flake and Gov. Doug Ducey.
...
The Ducey censure condemns him for restricting personal freedoms tied to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution "demands that he immediately rescind all Executive Orders and directives issued under this faux State of Emergency."

https://eu.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/01/12/cindy-mccain-rips-arizona-republican-party-chair-kelli-ward-draft-censure-resolution/6641409002/

Arizona legislator moves to end Gov. Ducey’s emergency declaration

PHOENIX – An Arizona Republican legislator introduced a measure Monday designed to end the state’s COVID-related emergency declaration that has been in place since last March.

State Rep. Bret Roberts’ resolution said the measure restricted and suppressed the individual freedoms and economic prosperity of Arizonans.
...
Republican State Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita introduced similar legislation in December.

Ducey’s executive orders aimed at mitigating the spread of coronavirus. Businesses, gyms and movie theaters limited capacity and group gatherings were capped.

https://ktar.com/story/3839212/arizona-legislator-moves-to-end-duceys-emergency-declaration/