Health expert critical of Ducey in past doesn’t expect new COVID surge
Mar 25, 2021, 2:15 PM
(File Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
(File Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
PHOENIX – An Arizona public health expert who’s been critical of the state’s COVID-19 management strategies doesn’t think Gov. Doug Ducey’s decision to lift remaining restrictions Thursday will lead to a new coronavirus surge.
“The decision today to rescind orders given the environment that we have, I don’t see as leading to the kind of exponential growth and catastrophic loss of life that we saw in December, January and February,” Dr. Will Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association and former director of the state Department of Health Services, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
In fact, Humble said he doesn’t expect to see a significant change in how people act on a daily basis in the short term following Ducey’s latest executive order.
“The reason I say that is because there was so little enforcement of the mitigation measures in bars, restaurants and nightclubs to begin with that behavior in the field isn’t really going to be any different tomorrow than it was last week,” he said.
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Another surge is unlikely now, Humble explained, because so many people have been vaccinated or was previously infected.
“There’s a lot of antibodies out there that are protecting us from the kind of spread that we saw in December, January and February,” he said.
Part of that, according to Humble, is because Ducey and Health Director Dr. Cara Christ didn’t implement additional measures before a predicted spike in cases, hospitalizations and deaths took hold after Halloween.
“If you look at the decision in late November not to do anything, that was grossly irresponsible and cost many lives,” he said.
Humble said there could be a small increase in spread after Thursday’s announcement because fewer people will wear face masks now that they are voluntary.
Businesses still have the option of requiring face coverings and social distancing and can refuse to service patrons who don’t comply.
Ducey previously lifted capacity restrictions at businesses subject to his June 2020 executive order, including restaurants and gyms, as COVID-19 metrics declined after spiking in January.
“What I’ve observed, at least in the neighborhoods that I go to, is that everything’s packed from Thursday to Sunday. … And that’s not going to change now,” Humble said.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gabriel Gamiño contributed to this report.
