Arizona COVID-19 metrics rise, all counties in moderate spread stage

PHOENIX — All 15 counties in Arizona are now in the moderate spread stage, according to state coronavirus metrics.

After spending weeks in the minimal transmission zone, Greenlee County has moved to the moderate stage of the state’s school and business dashboards due to hospital metrics trending up.

The dashboards for schools and businesses are based on three metrics that gauge how widespread the disease is in each county.

The business benchmarks are state requirements that must be followed by establishments previously closed under Gov. Doug Ducey’s June executive order: indoor gyms, bars operating as restaurants, theaters, water parks and tubing venues.

The schools benchmarks were designed as guidance for K-12 districts in their decisions about opening levels. Districts, however, have the final say in whether they offer virtual, hybrid or traditional learning formats.

For a county to move to a different spread level, all three benchmarks have to meet that level for two consecutive weeks.

The dashboards are updated each Thursday with data at least 12 days old to account for lags in reporting, ensuring that assessments are based on accurate statistics. The latest update covers the week of Nov. 8.

Every county was above 140 cases per 100,000 residents, pushing into the substantial transmission stage.

Almost all counties, except for La Paz and Pima, are in the substantial stage for first two benchmarks.

With all of Arizona’s counties in the moderate transmission stage, some business reopening restrictions apply. School districts are recommended to transition to a hybrid learning model, but are not required to follow the state’s guidance.

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