Pima County Board of Supervisors votes to implement mandatory curfew
Dec 15, 2020, 1:37 PM | Updated: 2:23 pm
PHOENIX — The Pima County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to implement a mandatory curfew as coronavirus continues to surge in the state.
The board voted 3-2 to adopt the measure, which will go into effect nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. beginning Tuesday until the average number of COVID-19 cases per week in the county falls below 100 per 100,000 residents.
Supervisor Ramon Valadez said during the meeting the county’s seven-day rolling average for cases per 100,000 residents is at about 1,300.
“I take those numbers very, very seriously,” Valadez said. “It’s been able to tell us very clearly that what we’re trying to do isn’t working and in order to keep our community safe, we have to try other things.”
The action comes less than a month after the county issued a voluntary curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. until Dec. 31 in an effort to slow the spread.
RELATED STORIES
Pima County said it did inspections on nearly 400 locations over the weekend to test compliance to the voluntary curfew.
About 15% of the unspecified locations weren’t complying with the order, according to a memorandum from the board.
“The results of the December 11 and 12 investigation make clear that the voluntary curfew has not been sufficiently effective in encouraging inhabitants of the county to remain at their homes during the curfew period,” the board said in the memorandum.
“Accordingly, more stringent measures are necessary to protect the public health.”
Exceptions for the curfew include all first responders, people traveling directly to and from work, and those experiencing homelessness.
