Arizona ICU Beds At 91% Capacity; No New Mitigation Measures From Ducey

By Katherine Davis-Young
Published: Wednesday, December 16, 2020 - 3:52pm
Updated: Thursday, December 17, 2020 - 4:16pm

Doug Ducey
Gov. Doug Ducey/Facebook
Gov. Doug Ducey gives a press conference on Dec. 16, 2020.

COVID-19 continues to spread out of control in Arizona. ICU beds in the state are at 91% capacity and health care leaders continue to call for policy action to prevent a hospital crisis.

→ Get The Latest News On COVID-19 In Arizona 

But in a news conference Wednesday, Gov. Doug Ducey announced no new mitigation measures to combat COVID-19 in Arizona. Ducey said it’s up to local jurisdictions to enforce the measures that are already in place. He emphasized personal responsibility and said individuals need to do their part to limit social gatherings.

“I don’t know what role you think the government can have in private home settings, that’s why we’re trying to educate the public on the best possible policies and protocols,” Ducey told reporters. 

Ducey is encouraging Arizonans to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Vaccinations of health care workers are set to begin Thursday in Maricopa and Pima Counties. Vaccines are not expected to be available to the broader Arizona population until spring or summer.  

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