As Arizona is caught in the midst of a multi-front surge of not only COVID-19 but also influenza, with rates of COVID infections in nursing homes continuing to rise, Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) reintroduced legislation in Congress to curb federal oversight of the nation’s pandemic response. Meanwhile, the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is getting to work on expanding access to COVID-19 testing sites under the direction of Governor Katie Hobbs.
Cases of influenza in Arizona are the highest they have been in four years, prompting medical professionals and public health experts to increasingly urge Arizona residents to get this year’s flu vaccine, AZ Big Media reports. From Dr. Andrew Carroll, clinical assistant professor in family and community medicine at the University of Arizona:
The protection provided by this year’s seasonal flu vaccine is better than we’ve had in recent years. It covers four strains of the flu and gives the recipient a boost in immunity. Because most of the viruses seen this flu season are a match for the types found in the vaccine, this year’s flu vaccine is highly effective.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report this week that determined more than 1,000 nursing homes reached COVID-19 infection rates of 75% or more during the first and second major surges of the virus in 2020 and 2021. Additionally, the second surge brought a higher volume of highly infected nursing homes; three of the facilities cited were located in Arizona.
Rates of COVID-19 in this current surge have also largely impacted nursing homes in Arizona, with just over 25% of residents up to date on their vaccinations, according to AARP earlier this month.
COVID-19 cases rose this week to 3,554 and an additional 144 new deaths related to the coronavirus this week according to the ADHS COVID-19 data dashboard.
ADHS also announced a new initiative for mobile COVID-19 testing units for use in underserved communities. The program will be conducted in tandem with community partners and will send the mobile testing providers anywhere across the state for pop-up testing sites. The tests will be free, and can be requested through a form on the ADHS website.
ADHS also launched another website to tackle the low uptake of booster shots among Arizona seniors. The initiative, Boosters for Seniors, is intended to “make it as easy as possible” to connect seniors, their caregivers and loved ones with vaccine providers, including vaccine delivery in long-term care facilities.
Governor Katie Hobbs repeatedly said throughout her campaign that she would work to take the pandemic seriously and secure the health of Arizonans. In support of this goal, she nominated Pima County Department of Public Health Director Theresa Cullen to the position of state health director. But the Arizona Republic reports that state level Republicans, especially those in the Freedom Caucus, have tweeted their opposition to her appointment, which will require the authorization of the Arizona Senate.
Governor Hobbs also appointed Zaida Dedolph Piecoro as her health policy advisor, according to an announcement from the Governor’s Office. Prior to this position, Dedolph Piecoro served as the health policy director of the Children’s Action Alliance since 2019.
On the national stage, Congressman Andy Biggs has resurrected a series of bills aimed at curbing federal oversight of current and future pandemics, including the prohibition of federal mask mandates on public transportation and vaccine mandates for healthcare workers, a Biggs press release explains.
The full text of Bigg’s proposal, H.R. 77, can be found at Congress.gov.
Meanwhile, the nation’s largest nurses union, National Nurses United, will be holding actions on Thursday this week across the country, including in Tucson, at Carondelet St. Mary’s from 8:30 to 10 a.m. The actions will demand that hospitals provide safe numbers of nurses to care for patients, citing concerns of crisis conditions arising from nationwide surges in COVID-19, influenza and RSV.
From NNU Executive Director Bonnie Castillo, R.N.:
On our national day of action, NNU members will stand up for staffing models that adequately protect patients, nurses and our communities against public health crises.
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