Arizona once again is the worst COVID hotspot in the country, but is flying under the radar

[bye]

Been seeing too much press about California taking off, which is true, but it's being largely bolstered by right-wing media as a backlash against Newsom's 'failing' restrictions/Dem leadership.

Contrary to what a lot of people think, Arizona is actually the worst yet again by many metrics in terms of COVID.

- We have the lowest rate of vaccination in the western US

- Highest hospitalization

- Yesterday 17k new cases and highest case per capita in the nation

- Scratch that, worst in the world?

Why is this happening again?

Well, for one, there are no restrictions right now. Restaurants are supposed to be following CDC guidelines, but in places like Scottsdale, there's so much demand and foot traffic that they gave up on distancing/spacing/capacity. Gyms, schools, theaters, bars are all fully open and busy. Snowbird season continued as usual but it's even busier this year probably due to pent-up travel demand with a lot of folks, and everything being closed in cold states as opposed to fully open here.

In the summer when we got the spotlight, Ducey finally gave in and closed bars and gyms and allowed counties to implement mask mandates. Not surprisingly, this worked great and got our situation under control. But now that no one is talking about AZ, and Trump seems to hate him, Ducey is in full DGAF mode. He is letting this state crash and burn, taking it down along with him.

It feels really helpless right now with no peak or end in sight.

 

[bluexy]

I've seen so few poeple in Phoenix taking the pandemic seriously. The state has been a tinder waiting for flame.

 

[Laser Ramon]

Fuck Doug Ducey dumbass piece of shit

 

[timedesk]

I am truly astounded that all the Snowbirds came in full force this year. I thought people would be smart enough to avoid travel, but apparently not. Now I'm scared to buy groceries in the day because of how crowded all the stores are. I saw a bunch of people standing in line at my post office either with no masks, or their masks off. I have been lucky enough to have a grip on my anxiety for the bulk of 2020, but December wrecked me. I hope we can get enough vaccines here soon, so maybe things will slowly get better.

 

[crienne]

Both my parents still live in AZ. Hoping they avoid this.

 

[x3sphere]

Doesn't surprise me, and I personally know quite a few people here that act like there's no pandemic going on, it's really frustrating. You'd think close family members getting Covid would wake them up but no.

 

[chuey]

It ravage through my family. I'm doing my part and staying home and safe. Crazy time here in Az.

Fuck Doug Douche

 

[mreddie]

In the summer when we got the spotlight, Ducey finally gave in and closed bars and gyms and allowed counties to implement mask mandates. Not surprisingly, this worked great and got our situation under control. But now that no one is talking about AZ, and Trump seems to hate him, Ducey is in full DGAF mode. He is letting this state crash and burn, taking it down along with him.

Click to shrink...

Actually the flip happened after Trump came by over the summer and a week later, lifted everything up again and hence why you saw the college bars and the like packed, and he's done nothing since. Motherfucker is already prepping up Spring Training and wants schools to open again, CA is getting the news because Newsom is a moron but people forget Ducey, Newsom and DeSantis are still trying to kill everyone in their states because FUCK YOU, I GOT MONEY.

I got scared shitless during the Halloween Rush at my seasonal job, motherfuckers without masks and trying to make it about themselves and I have high risk parents and it's a fucking nightmare still.

 

[Deleted member 46493]

Lol a friend of mine went back there for Christmas and then back here to NYC, and then to Hawaii for New Years.

It's no longer political. People of all ages and beliefs just stopped caring. It's over.

 

[Fuchsia]

Parents live there and my dad just got Covid from his office.

 

[maxxpower]

Lol a friend of mine went back there for Christmas and then back here to NYC, and then to Hawaii for New Years.

It's no longer political. People of all ages and beliefs just stopped caring. It's over.

Click to shrink...

Pretty much.

 

[TaySan]

We really suck at wearing masks here. :( I try at least.

 

[mreddie]

We really sack at wearing masks here. :( I try at least.

Click to shrink...

It's a lost cause here because idiots ran loose. I fear once Biden does a mandate and possible shutdown, shit's gonna get ugly.

 

[StereoVSN]

Lol a friend of mine went back there for Christmas and then back here to NYC, and then to Hawaii for New Years.

It's no longer political. People of all ages and beliefs just stopped caring. It's over.

Click to shrink...

Yep, I know enough people who basically stopped caring for the most part. They travel, meet up, have dinner parties, etc... All are highly educated, fairly liberal, and for the most part are treating the pandemic as not a huge deal. It's fucking aggravating and illogical, but here we are.

 

[honavery]

Lol a friend of mine went back there for Christmas and then back here to NYC, and then to Hawaii for New Years.

It's no longer political. People of all ages and beliefs just stopped caring. It's over.

Click to shrink...

Yup, people have given up for the most part. Mask mandates still in place most places, and I rarely see people without masks at grocery stores and such. But whenever I pickup takeout, restaurants are completely packed. Maybe there are some 'distancing' tables, but everything else is full.
Just to see what it looked like, I pulled up movie theater seating for the 10am Wonder Woman Xmas day showing, at the local Alamo DH. Almost sold out.

 

[Aisod]

I had a close call about 3 weeks ago getting my haircut for the first time in like 5 months. 2 days after my haircut my barber texts me he tested positive for covid. This year is going to suck as well isn't it?

 

[Dyle]

Peggy Hill was right, Phoenix was a mistake

 

[Mgs2master2]

I work in one of the more prominent hospitals in Tucson, let me tell you, this shit is depressing. We have so many deaths a day in the ICU and overflow throughout the hospital in all departments. It's sad to have to help to make the iPad calls for patients. It's beyond heart breaking then seeing those same patients shortly afterward loaded in a truck and sent to the morgue.

Fuck Doug Douchy for how he handles this, fuck trump for "normalizing" living with covid. If the general public ever saw all of this they might take it seriously. I get so fuckin livid and upset too. This is something I will never get numb to seeing. It hurts every single time seeing this day in and day out.

not to mention short staffed we are and how the turn over rate for staff in all departments are. Like fuck...

 

[bye]

I work in one of the more prominent hospitals in Tucson, let me tell you, this shit is depressing. We have so many deaths a day in the ICU and overflow throughout the hospital in all departments. It's sad to have to help to make the iPad calls for patients. It's beyond heart breaking then seeing those same patients shortly afterward loaded in a truck and sent to the morgue.

Fuck Doug Douchy for how he handles this, fuck trump for "normalizing" living with covid. If the general public ever saw all of this they might take it seriously. I get so fuckin livid and upset too. This is something I will never get numb to seeing. It hurts every single time seeing this day in and day out.

not to mention short staffed we are and how the turn over rate for staff in all departments are. Like fuck...

Click to shrink...

I believe it. My friend who is a nurse is being urged to travel and will probably be coming here to work and help out. It's incredibly depressing to think we may not even peak till the end of the month or next and the decline will take several long months.

 

[antonz]

It terrifies the fuck out of me. My grandfather fell and Fractured his Humerus. He has been in the Hospital since New Years Eve. They are finally getting him out of there to a rehab place for a week or so to work with him on his arm but None of these places are where I want him to be in Arizona right now.

 

[Squarehard]

California is mainly getting the bulk of it from SoCal too.

 

[TheZynster]

Even better, they have a good stockpile of vaccines for potential frontline use just.....sitting there??!

Arizona News

Arizona Breaking news, local stories, and On Your Side investigations from the state’s largest television newsroom.

www.azfamily.com

 

[timedesk]

Even better, they have a good stockpile of vaccines for potential frontline use just.....sitting there??!

Arizona News

Arizona Breaking news, local stories, and On Your Side investigations from the state’s largest television newsroom.

www.azfamily.com

Click to shrink...

Wait what? Getting the vaccine in this state is going to be a mess isn't it? I just want to be able to not worry every day that I'm going to infect the high risk members of my family.

 

[amon37]

I can't handle all the winning in my state.

 

[antonz]

Wait what? Getting the vaccine in this state is going to be a mess isn't it? I just want to be able to not worry every day that I'm going to infect the high risk members of my family.

Click to shrink...

It seems to be fairly orderly where I have seen it be given. The problem seems to be they are not doing things at any sort of sped up pace. In Sun City West across from the Hospital they have a Vaccine Center setup. By Appointment only and they have the police at the entrance to the parking lot verifying identities before you can even try to park the car etc. The problem I saw the last few days is there does not seem to be a steady flow of appointments and people going in.

 

[Epitomage]

The general malaise around PHX is pitiful and definitely stems from a large chunk of our locals and snowbirds just not giving a fuck about taking precautionary measures. Every day I drive past crowded bars, golf clubs and dining establishments on my way to work. Jam packed. And it's all ages and demos. People just acting like they're immune to bullshit... yet our state literally markets and thrives off said shit. The next few months are going to be a wake up fist face fucking for a lot of folks, especially after Sky Harbor saw record travel on Thanksgiving, then again before Christmas. 🤦‍♀️

 

[SapientWolf]

Even better, they have a good stockpile of vaccines for potential frontline use just.....sitting there??!

Arizona News

Arizona Breaking news, local stories, and On Your Side investigations from the state’s largest television newsroom.

www.azfamily.com

Click to shrink...

They're short on resources to administer them due to the severity of the second wave. If they had locked down again in the late Fall instead it might have been a different story. Instead, they changed the health metrics for business closures to keep everything open. As a result, the state has taken control over vaccine distribution.

I think things will pick up speed once the pharmacies start administering the vaccines, since they're better equipped for the logistics of the task, and they have a financial incentive to perform as many vaccinations as possible.

 

[BlackSalad]

People here just don't give a shit and haven't for a while, combine that with the "leadership" within the state and its a deadly stupid combo

 

[timedesk]

It seems to be fairly orderly where I have seen it be given. The problem seems to be they are not doing things at any sort of sped up pace. In Sun City West across from the Hospital they have a Vaccine Center setup. By Appointment only and they have the police at the entrance to the parking lot verifying identities before you can even try to park the car etc. The problem I saw the last few days is there does not seem to be a steady flow of appointments and people going in.

Click to shrink...

That's good to know. I really hope AZ can handle the vaccination processes as smoothly as possible. I think I'm just pessimistic after how things looked during the holidays.

 

[antonz]

That's good to know. I really hope AZ can handle the vaccination processes as smoothly as possible. I think I'm just pessimistic after how things looked during the holidays.

Click to shrink...

I still worry a ton because we have no leadership at the top in this state. Stuff is getting done because some people care. The problem is its just so damn slow. It shouldn't be a car or two every 20-30 minutes to the vaccine station. They should have hundreds ready to go at all times

 

[Blackflag]

Fuck this piece of shit ice cream man governor. He needs to go back to fucking up Coldstone. Was trying to help get him recalled but that is suspended now because shit is so bad out here.

 

[Mgs2master2]

That's good to know. I really hope AZ can handle the vaccination processes as smoothly as possible. I think I'm just pessimistic after how things looked during the holidays.

Click to shrink...

It's a smooth process,
But no one out here really cares to get it for the most part. Again how it's poorly handled from the top. However is a smooth process just by making an appointment and going. In and out in about 20 minutes

 

[chuckddd]

I have some extended family in Prescott and they all tested positive over the holidays. Hope they recover.