AZ02 Weekly Task Force Shares Frontline and Federal Updates
(TUCSON, A.Z.) — The Office of Rep. Kirkpatrick released the following statement on this week’s COVID-19 Task Force meeting. Since May, the task force has had weekly conference calls to discuss the economic and health impacts of COVID-19 throughout Southern Arizona and provide federal updates.
The weekly agenda includes an introduction from Rep. Kirkpatrick and her legislative team with federal updates on healthcare, small business and labor policies. After congressional policy updates, the industry-wide group takes turns speaking about their organization’s experiences on the frontlines and share areas of need.
This week, Dr. Gerald noted an increase in COVID-19 cases in Arizona. He warned that as we continue to see normalized activity increase, such as schools and businesses reopening, and adherence to precautions wane, we will inevitably see an uptick in positive COVID-19 test results. This is a cycle that we have seen globally, Dr. Gerald noted.
“A spike in COVID-19 cases is a natural part of the virus’s cycle. Fortunately, there is an easy solution: stay continually vigilant,” said Rep. Kirkpatrick. “I urge Arizonans to continue wearing masks in public spaces and adhere to public health recommendations. We cannot become comfortable with our current reality. Together, we can stop the spread.”
The Pima County Health Department has released a map of the general locations of most COVID-19 cases based on a 15-day period to help Arizonans avoid hotspots. This map can be found here.
Members of the task force include Vice President of Tucson Medical Center Julia Strange, State Representative Dr. Randy Friese, Associate Professor & Program Director, Public Health Policy & Management, Dr. Joe Gerald, Pima County Health Department Director Dr. Francesco Garcia, Chiricahua Community Health Centers Director Dr. Jonathan Melk, Cochise County Health Department Director Carrie Langley, Copper Queen Hospital CEO Robert Seamon, El Rio CEO Nancy Johnson, Southern Arizona Veterans Hospital Director Jennifer Gutowski, Tucson Metro Chamber Director Amber Smith, Local First Arizona Director Michael Peel, Pima Council on Aging Director Mark Clark, Southern Arizona Leadership Council CEO Ted Maxwell, and Tucson Mayor Romero’s Chief of Staff, Elaine Becherer.