Gov. Doug Ducey poses after receiving his second dose of COVID-19 vaccine in Tucson on March 24, 2021. (Twitter Photo / @ uarizona)
PHOENIX – Arizona government Doug Ducey on Thursday reversed the state’s remaining COVID-19 mitigation requirements, including local face mask mandates.
Under a new executive order, all of the state’s business requirements have been turned into recommendations, and bars can now revert to their pre-pandemic operations.
In addition, events with more than 50 people, including youth sports, no longer require approval from local authorities.
Companies still have the option to demand social distance and masks.
We are now in a different place, and we are also a lot smarter. I am convinced that the businesses and citizens of Arizona will continue to behave responsibly as we gradually return to normal. Details on the new mitigation phase can be found here: https://t.co/JLKsoeAuzU 7 /
– Doug Ducey (@dougducey) March 25, 2021
“The measures taken last summer allowed Arizona to fight back COVID-19,” Ducey said in a press release. “I want to thank the local leaders who have supported these efforts with their own measures and the companies that have implemented them.
“We are now in a different place, and we are also a lot smarter. I am convinced that the businesses and citizens of Arizona will continue to practice the fundamentals and act responsibly as we gradually return to normal. “
The injunction says local governments cannot enact regulations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and specifically mentions mandates for face masks.
It also revokes a handful of Ducey’s previous executive orders during the pandemic.
Ducey has never ordered a statewide mandate for a mask. In June 2020, he gave local jurisdictions authority on the matter. Aside from that, he has the power to control all of the state’s COVID-19 responses.
Most of the state ended with mask mandates, but the remaining can no longer be enforced by Thursday’s orders.
The announcement came when the state exceeded 3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered.
“As we’ve been saying all along, our best way to get back to normal is distributing the vaccine, and I want to thank the millions of Arizonans who have rolled up their sleeves for making distribution and uptake so successful,” said Ducey.
He also noted that the number of coronavirus cases has been declining for 10 weeks and the number of hospital admissions is at the lowest level since the beginning of October.
Ducey has relaxed the state’s COVID-related restrictions as statistics have improved since the peak in January.
Earlier this month, he lifted capacity restrictions on companies under his June 2020 executive order. However, until Thursday, the requirements for physical distance and mask use remained in effect for restaurants, bars, nightclubs, indoor fitness centers, indoor theaters and water parks.