ASU researcher: Arizona must remain vigilant amid virus curve plateau
Jul 22, 2020, 5:00 PM | Updated: 9:44 pm
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University)
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University)
PHOENIX — A top researcher at Arizona State University said on Wednesday the coronavirus curve has plateaued in Arizona, but added the state must stay the course policy-wise to make progress against the health pandemic.
“I do feel confident in say that we have stabilized at a sort of plateau,” ASU Biodesign Institute Executive Director Dr. Joshua LaBaer said during a press conference.
“It affirms that the new direction that the state has gone in … to require masking, maintaining social distancing, closing down bars, reducing or limiting people from having large gatherings … all of those things are working.”
Amid a statewide surge of COVID-19 cases, Gov. Doug Ducey on June 17 gave local leaders the authority to institute mask mandates.
RELATED STORIES
Less than two weeks later, Ducey closed bars, nightclubs, gyms, movie theaters and water parks for at least 30 days as the state continued to grapple with soaring coronavirus cases.
Despite the recent stabilizing of COVID-19 cases in Arizona, LaBaer said “this is not a moment for a victory lap.”
“We have plateaued but we have plateaued ten-fold higher numbers per day than when we first plateaued months ago,” he added.
“We really need to reverse the trend now and bring it down … We can limit things if we follow some common sense approaches.”
A common sense strategy begins with the state remaining vigilant about its current policies, according to LaBaer.
“We need to keep these orders in place,” he said.
“This is not a time to let up on the pressure … If we let up now, it’ll go right back to what it did before.”
LaBaer also cautioned against the reopening of bars and gyms, citing his concerns over patrons not wearing masks or remaining socially distant.
Increasing testing — especially among the most vulnerable — and reducing the time necessary to communicate coronavirus tests results would also enable Arizona to make additional progress against the coronavirus pandemic, according to LaBaer.
