This archive report was first published on 4 July 2020.
As COVID-19 cases surge in Arizona, a patchwork of rules has emerged, with local jurisdictions setting stricter limits than the state's.
On June 29, Maricopa County passed regulations requiring face coverings in public, leading to heated debates among residents. At Antique Sugar, a vintage clothing boutique in Phoenix, staff members received abuse over the mask requirement, prompting the shop to erect a signboard outside: “We’ll be happy to debate the efficacy of masks with you when this is all over and you come in to sell your dead grandmother’s clothes.”
At an upscale golf course development outside Scottsdale, a woman refused to wear a mask, telling a barista, “It’s people your age who are more the problem,” referencing the rise in cases among young people.
Arizona's governor, Doug Ducey, initially took modest steps to combat the pandemic, which were praised by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry but criticized by some mayors and Democratic leaders. Public schools were closed for two weeks, later extended, and bars, gyms, theaters, and dine-in restaurant services were closed in counties with confirmed coronavirus cases.
On March 23, with stay-at-home orders planned across the nation, Mr. Ducey declared Arizona, which had far fewer cases than the Northeast, “not there yet.” His executive order listed businesses that would not be required to close, including salons and spas, golf courses, payday lenders, and firearms dealers.
Wendy Smith-Reeve, Arizona's director of emergency management at the time, quit a few days later, criticizing the governor's early handling of the virus as piecemeal and ignoring the state's emergency management plan. Mr. Ducey imposed a statewide stay-at-home order on March 31, later extending it to May 15, despite protests from some who called for reopening businesses.
