HEALTH

Arizona COVID-19 updates: Hospitalizations again hit record high at at 4,988 patients

Arizona Republic

Arizona reported a growing number of new COVID-19 cases Saturday, as the state surpassed 600,000 cumulative cases and 10,000 known deaths. The state's seven-day, new-case average ranked second-highest in the nation Saturday afternoon, and public health experts expect the virus to spread further because of personal contact over the holidays. 

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Follow coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic by Republic and USA TODAY Network reporters here.

Noon Sunday: Arizona reports 11,201 new COVID-19 cases, 105 new deaths

Arizona reported more than 11,200 new COVID-19 cases and 105 new known deaths on Sunday as the number of patients hospitalized for the virus reached a new record. 

The state's seven-day new-case average ranked second in the nation on Saturday. Arizona last week ranked first for three days in a row and then again on Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker. 

Arizona's rate of new positive cases over the last seven days was 129.5 cases per 100,000 people, per the CDC. The U.S. average for new cases is 74.9 cases per 100,000 people.

The state reported more than 17,200 new cases on Jan. 3, the highest number of new COVID-19 cases reported in a single day since the pandemic began, toppling the state's previous record from Dec. 8 by nearly 5,000 cases. The record follows the Christmas and New Year's holiday weekends. 

The state data dashboard shows 91.4% of all ICU beds and 92% of all inpatient beds in Arizona were in use Saturday, with 63% of ICU beds and 58% of non-ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Statewide, there were 152 ICU beds and 699 non-ICU beds available. 

The number of patients hospitalized in Arizona for known or suspected COVID-19 cases was at 4,988 on Saturday, surpassing the record high of 4,920 on Jan. 6. By comparison, the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in a single day during the summer surge was 3,517 on July 13.

Hospitals are experiencing a "surge within a surge," with signs of worse weeks ahead. 

— Chelsea Curtis

1 p.m. Saturday: Arizona surpasses 10,000 known COVID-19 deaths, 600,000 cases as state again is worst in nation

Arizona surpassed 10,000 known deaths and 600,000 cases of COVID-19 as the state once again is worst in the nation for new cases.

The nearly 100 new known deaths reported by the state on Saturday brought the known death count from COVID-19 to 10,036.

The state's seven-day new-case average is back to the highest nationwide after being ranked second on Friday. Prior to that, Arizona ranked first for three days in a row, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker. 

Arizona's rate of new positive cases over the last seven days was 126.4 cases per 100,000 people, per the CDC. The U.S. average for new cases is 68.7 cases per 100,000 people.

The state data dashboard shows 92% of all ICU beds and 93% of all inpatient beds in Arizona were in use Thursday, with 54% of ICU beds and 57% of non-ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Statewide, there were 138 ICU beds and 633 non-ICU beds available. 

Hospitals are experiencing a "surge within a surge," with signs of worse weeks ahead. 

The number of patients hospitalized in Arizona for known or suspected COVID-19 cases was at 4,918 on Friday, slightly below the record-high of 4,920 on Wednesday. By comparison, the highest number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in a single day during the summer surge was 3,517 on July 13.

The number of patients with suspected or known COVID-19 in ICUs across Arizona was not immediately available on Saturday morning, with ADHS tweeting that they were still waiting for a partner to upload their data. Thursday saw a record-high 1,122 ICU beds in use. During the summer surge in mid-July, ICU beds in use for COVID-19 peaked at 970.

— BrieAnna J. Frank

1:30 p.m. Friday: AIA board votes to cancel high school winter sports season amid surging COVID-19 cases

The Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Board on Friday voted to cancel the high school winter sports season amid a continued surge in COVID-19 cases statewide.

The AIA had already delayed the start of the winter sports season but reconsidered that move because of the continued trend of rising coronavirus cases, which has led to Arizona having the highest rate of positive cases in the country.

The board, during a special meeting held Friday morning, initially voted 5-4 to reject a motion to start the boys and girls basketball, soccer and wrestling seasons as planned on Jan. 18. Arguments were made from the nine board members, before a vote was taken.

Then, after that vote, a motion was made to cancel the winter season, which passed.

The meeting was held after hearing from the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, which recommended against moving forward with winter sports because Arizona had become the No.1 hotspot in the country for positive COVID-19 cases.

The vote came on the same day the Arizona Department of Health Services reported more than 11,000 new positive cases as the state is approaching 10,000 deaths since the pandemic began in early 2020.

After a nearly two-hour executive sessions, taking input from doctors and athletic trainers, there was a motion to start the winter sports season. But after each member argued their points, a vote was taken.

— Richard Obert

12:30 p.m. Friday: AZ approaches 10K deaths as state reports 11,658 new cases

Arizona is approaching 10,000 known deaths due to COVID-19 as case counts and hospitalizations continue to rise, with more than 11,600 new cases reported Friday.

The nearly 200 new known deaths reported by the state on Friday brought the known death count from COVID-19 to 9,938.

The state's seven-day new-case average ranks second-highest nationwide after ranking first for three days in a row, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker as of Thursday. 

Arizona's rate of new positive cases over the last seven days was 122.1 cases per 100,000 people, trailing only New Jersey with 136.7 new cases per 100,000 people over the last seven days, per the CDC. The U.S. average for new cases is 68.7 cases per 100,000 people.

New cases in Arizona have eclipsed 5,000 for 25 of the past 30 days. Public health experts expect the virus to spread further because of personal contact over the holidays. 

Friday's 11,658 new cases brought the total number of identified COVID-19 cases in the state to 596,251. As of Friday, 9,938 Arizonans are known to have died from the disease, according to the data dashboard from the Arizona Department of Health Services. 

— Alison Steinbach

6 p.m. Thursday: Arizona teachers begin getting COVID-19 vaccine; Maricopa County sign-up plan for teachers takes shape

School employee vaccinations have begun in Pinal County, making educators there some of the first in the state to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Apache Junction Unified School District confirmed that school employees are among those in the process of receiving vaccinations. Pinal County entered Phase 1B of the state's vaccination plan, which includes school employees, on Dec. 28. 

Jillian Conway, an Apache Junction school psychologist, waited in line for six hours to get vaccinated on New Year's Eve. 

"I really hope that educators do go out and get the vaccine because I really think it's our way to get back to doing what we love to do," she said.

Counties across the rest of the state, including Maricopa County, are preparing to vaccinate teachers in hopes that vaccinating them will hasten a full return to in-person school. 

"Our schools, including all of our school staff and child care workers, are a priority," said Dr. Rebecca Sunenshine, medical director of disease control for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. "We have already been in talks with our school superintendents and school partners and child care partners." 

— Lily Altavena

12:30 p.m. Thursday: Arizona reports 9,913 new cases, 297 deaths

Arizona reported more than 9,900 new COVID-19 cases and nearly 300 new known deaths on Thursday as hospitals are overloaded by an unprecedented and growing number of patients with the virus. 

The state's seven-day new-case average ranks highest nationwide for the third day in a row, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker as of Wednesday. 

Arizona's rate of new positive cases over the last seven days was 118.3 cases per 100,000 people. The next-highest state behind Arizona was California, with a rate of 95.9 new cases per 100,000 people over the last seven days, per the CDC. The U.S. average for new cases is 65.7 cases per 100,000 people.

The state data dashboard shows 93% of all ICU beds and 93% of all inpatient beds in Arizona were in use Tuesday, with 62% of ICU beds and 57% of non-ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Statewide, there were 128 ICU beds and 594 non-ICU beds available. 

Hospitals are experiencing a "surge within a surge," with signs of worse weeks ahead. 

Thursday's 9,913 new cases brought the total number of identified COVID-19 cases in the state to 584,593.

As of Thursday, 9,741 Arizonans are known to have died from the disease, according to the data dashboard from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Of the 297 newly reported deaths, 238 are from death certificate matching, per the department.

— Alison Steinbach

10 a.m. Thursday: COVID-19 surge puts hospitals on overload

A dwindling number of ICU beds.

An increase in patients waiting in emergency departments for an inpatient bed to open up.

More patients double bunking in hospital rooms meant for one person.

Welcome to the "surge within a surge" in Arizona.

Patients began filling up Arizona hospitals about two weeks after Thanksgiving, and the crunch is expected to grow in the next few weeks because of holiday travel and gatherings over Christmas and New Year's.

"The next few weeks are going to be bad. I'll be blunt. Unless a miraculous turn occurs, we're going to see things continue on the rise from the last two holidays through the month of January," said Dr. Ross Goldberg, a general surgeon in Phoenix who is president of the Arizona Medical Association.

"The concern is that January is going to be a very rough time."

The dire warnings are now coming with indications that care is being compromised.

Some hospitals have stopped elective surgeries; there's a need for more front-line workers; and Phoenix-area hospitals last week started temporarily closing to incoming emergency transports and hospital transfers because of overwhelming patient counts.

— Stephanie Innes

8 a.m. Thursday: No indoor Masses in metro Tucson for 4 weeks due to COVID-19

TUCSON — Due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Pima County, Catholic churches across metro Tucson are canceling indoor Mass for four weeks.

Diocese of Tucson officials announced Tuesday that indoor mass celebrations and baptisms will be suspended starting Friday until Feb. 5.

They say masses can be held outdoors and pastors may request permission from the bishop to hold an indoor mass.

Diocese officials say funerals and weddings can be held indoors, but they will be limited to 25 people while baptisms will be limited to 10 people.

Gatherings before or after ceremonies will not be allowed on Diocese property.

The Diocese will hold a review on Feb. 1 to discuss any changes regarding the coronavirus pandemic before the suspension’s scheduled end.

— Associated Press

10:30 a.m. Wednesday: Arizona adds about 7,200 cases and 127 deaths

Arizona's hospitals continue to strain under the increasing load of COVID-19 patients as the state remained highest in the nation for its rate of new cases, adding about 7,200 new cases and 127 new known deaths on Wednesday.

The state's seven-day, new-case average ranks highest nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker as of Tuesday. 

Arizona's rate of new positive cases over the last seven days was 112.1 cases per 100,000 people. The next-highest states behind Arizona were California and Rhode Island, with rates of 95.8 new cases per 100,000 people over the last seven days, per the CDC. The U.S. average for new cases is 64.5 cases per 100,000 people.

Wednesday's 7,206 new cases brought the total number of identified COVID-19 cases in the state to 574,680. As of Wednesday, 9,444 Arizonans are known to have died from the disease, according to the data dashboard from the Arizona Department of Health Services. 

Percent positivity, which refers to the percent of COVID-19 diagnostic tests that are positive, has generally gone up, which many health experts consider an early indicator of a spike in illnesses.

— Alison Steinbach

8:15 p.m. Tuesday: Fewer than one-third of Arizona's COVID-19 vaccines have been administered as counties work to ramp up

Arizona's vaccination pace is picking up, but the rollout is still moving slowly.

Only 101,030 doses of the state's 314,750 vaccines had been administered through Monday. That means Arizona has more than two-thirds of its vaccine supply in storage, with more doses on the way.

Arizona this week should get another 140,000 vaccine doses, 60,000 of which will be second doses for individuals who've already received their first shot. That would bring the statewide total for doses received to nearly 255,000 Pfizer-BioNTech doses and more than 201,000 Moderna doses, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. 

The state is almost entirely still in Phase 1A of vaccination, prioritizing health care workers, health care support operations, emergency medical services workers and long-term care facility staff and residents. Vaccination has been happening for about two to three weeks, depending on location. 

Shots are going on in all 15 Arizona counties, but the situation varies, with Pima County including Tucson vaccinating at the highest rate statewide as of Tuesday, and with Pinal and Gila counties moving to Phase 1B to target adults 75 and older and groups of essential workers.

— Alison Steinbach

6:15 p.m. Tuesday: Extra $300 will land in in Arizona unemployment checks starting this week

Arizonans receiving unemployment benefits are getting an extra $300 in their checks starting this week, the Arizona Department of Economic Security said Tuesday.

The additional benefits recently approved by Congress will help about 192,000 Arizonans who continue to receive some form of unemployment as the COVID-19 pandemic roils the job market.

Benefits that Congress passed last spring — including unemployment for gig workers and the self-employed, and an extension of benefits for people on regular unemployment — expired Dec. 26. But Arizonans who were out of work last week were able to continue filing claims, and the state said they will not experience a gap in payments. Benefits are paid the week following a week of missed work.

Unemployed people in Arizona can get a maximum of $240 in weekly benefits, which increases to $540 with additional funds from Congress.

The additional money is available to anyone getting regular unemployment and pandemic unemployment assistance, or PUA, as well as other programs such as unemployment for federal workers or shared-work programs, according to DES.

"If an individual is eligible to receive at least one dollar of underlying benefits for a claimed week, the claimant will also receive the full $300 (Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation) payment for that week," DES announced Tuesday.

— Ryan Randazzo

2:15 p.m. Tuesday: Some nursing home staffers cautious about COVID-19 vaccine

Vaccines are continuing to roll out to residents and staff at the approximately 145 skilled nursing facilities in Arizona. 

Specific numbers were unavailable Tuesday, but Dave Voepel, executive director for the Arizona Health Care Association, said he anticipates that CVS Health and Walgreens will have visited every nursing home for the first round of vaccines by mid-January. 

So far, the on-site clinics are "going as well as can be expected," he said.

Voepel said he visited three clinics last week. At those, he said 90-95% of residents were taking the vaccines and 40-45% of staff. He said some staff plan to get the vaccine when the pharmacies return to the facilities later this month but were waiting to see how their co-workers responded to the shot. 

"Time will tell whether they do it or not," he said. 

COVID-19 vaccines for nursing home residents and staff are not mandatory but are highly encouraged because the respiratory virus has proved to be especially deadly among the senior population. 

The Arizona Department of Health Services did not respond immediately to a request for comment on when vaccines for assisted-living facilities will begin. CVS has said the state must activate the vaccines before they can start the clinics in assisted-living facilities.

Arizona has about 67,000 residents and staff in assisted living and 27,000 in nursing homes. 

— Anne Ryman

Noon Tuesday: New hospital occupancy records reached as state adds 5,900 cases and 253 deaths

Arizona's hospital bed occupancy by COVID-19 patients again hit new records as the state ranked highest in the nation for its rate of new cases, with more than 5,900 new cases and 253 new known deaths reported on Tuesday.

The state's seven-day new-case average ranks highest nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker as of Monday. 

Arizona's rate of new positive cases over the last seven days was 121.8 cases per 100,000 people. The next-highest state behind Arizona was California, with a rate of 97.1 new cases per 100,000 people over the last seven days, per the CDC. The U.S. average for new cases is 64.7 cases per 100,000 people.

The state data dashboard shows 92% of all ICU beds and 92% of all inpatient beds in Arizona were in use Monday, with 62% of ICU beds and 56% of non-ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Statewide, there were 136 ICU beds and 666 non-ICU beds available. 

Tuesday's 5,932 new cases brought the total number of identified COVID-19 cases in the state to 567,474. As of Tuesday, 9,317 Arizonans are known to have died from the disease, according to the data dashboard from the Arizona Department of Health Services. Of the 253 newly reported deaths, 215 are from death certificate matching, per the department.

— Alison Steinbach

11 a.m. Tuesday: AZ National Guard trains volunteers to help at vaccination sites

The Arizona National Guard started training the first wave of Arizona residents who volunteered to help out at vaccination sites across the state on Monday, according to a press release posted on Twitter.

Once trained, the release said the volunteers will work with the medical community and the more than 700 citizen-soldiers and airmen working to combat the spread of COVID-19.

The volunteers primarily consist of medical students and retired medical professionals.

"This is a monumental call to service that requires a whole-of-community approach to accomplish," Michael McGuire, director of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, said in the release. "I couldn't be prouder and I thank them for their service in Arizona."

The mobilization was a coordinated effort between the Governor's Office, the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs — all of which relied on the Arizona Emergency System for the Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals to acquire volunteers, according to the release. 

— Jamie Landers

7:45 a.m. Tuesday: Mask protest forces Trader Joe's to close early

Anti-mask protests and videos of altercations over face mask requirements at businesses across the country continue to go viral even as coronavirus cases surge. 

On Saturday, "Burn the Mask" protesters blocked the entrance of a Fresno, California, Trader Joe's, causing the grocer to close in the afternoon, the Fresno Bee reported.

In Los Angeles County, where nearly 1 in 5 people are testing positive, a group of protesters stormed a Ralphs grocery store Sunday, argued with customers over masks with one protester calling a fellow shopper a "mask Nazi,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

Meanwhile, outside a Houston café, protesters waved American flags over the weekend after some customers were upset over having to wear face masks.

Mask compliance has sparked debates throughout the pandemic after Americans received mixed messages from authorities early on over whether they should wear face coverings in public places. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said for months that wearing masks slows the spread of COVID-19, but meanwhile, some politicians, including President Donald Trump, have been called out for not wearing one. As the nation edged further into the stay-at-home era, viral videos of conflicts over mask requirements at businesses have become common to see.

— Kelly Tyko, USA TODAY

4 p.m. Monday: Ducey to give annual 'State of the State" address Jan. 11

Gov. Doug Ducey will deliver this year’s “State of the State” address virtually, broadcasting live from his office at the Capitol on Jan. 11.

The annual speech — a key opportunity for Ducey to lay out his legislative priorities — typically takes place in front of a crowd of lawmakers, community leaders and others at the Arizona House of Representatives. But packing the chamber didn’t seem prudent this year, according to his office, given the state’s surging COVID-19 numbers.

“This is the first State of the State delivered at a time like this, with a pandemic like COVID-19,” spokesman C.J. Karamargin said. “So, we are mindful of that and taking the necessary precautions.”

The Governor’s Office said it will release additional details, including the start time for the broadcast and how to access it, later this week.

— Maria Polletta

3:30 p.m. Monday: Britain rolls out AstraZeneca vaccine, will delay second doses

Britain on Monday became the first nation to use the vaccine developed by Oxford University and drugmaker AstraZeneca, a vaccine not yet authorized for emergency use in the U.S.

The British National Health Service also endorsed delaying the second dose of the vaccine up to 12 weeks – three weeks is recommended – so more people can get a first dose. The U.K. is in the midst of an acute outbreak, recording more than 50,000 new coronavirus infections a day over the last seven days.

In the U.S., Dr. Anthony Fauci has said he opposes delaying the second dose. Moncef Slaoui, scientific adviser of Operation Warp Speed, has suggested two half-doses might be given to free-up vaccine for more people.

— John Bacon and Elinor Aspegren/USA Today

2:45 p.m. Monday: Getting COVID-19 vaccines into the arms of Americans is off to a slow start; why the holdup?

More than 12.4 million doses of coronavirus vaccines have shipped to U.S. states, but just over 2.5 million people received shots as of Wednesday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Officials say the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations should pick up significantly in the coming weeks. For now, however, they point to a host of reasons for the lag, including vaccination systems still gearing up, federal funding that hasn't yet been disbursed to states and a requirement that states set aside vaccine for long-term-care facilities.

Add to that two holidays and three major snowstorms, Operation Warp Speed's Gen. Gustave Perna said at a briefing Wednesday.

While the vaccine rollout has been challenging, he said, problems with the system are being addressed.  

"Here's what I have confidence in: Every day, everybody gets better, and I believe that uptake will increase significantly as we go forward," Perna said. 

Operation Warp Speed, the federal vaccine program, will meet its target of delivering 20 million doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines by the end of the year, said Moncef Slaoui, the program's science adviser.

"There's a learning curve in the system," he said. "As vaccines become more available in pharmacies, it will become more straightforward. I expect that things will move quickly. What we should be looking at is the rate of acceleration over the coming weeks."

— Elizabeth Weise/USA Today

2 p.m. Monday: December smashed records for COVID deaths, cases

COVID-19 was disastrous in December, when one American died from the coronavirus about every 35 seconds. The United States reported 6,360,221 new cases — beating November's record by 1.9 million. And November had more than twice as many cases as any previous month of the pandemic, a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. 

The U.S. reported 77,572 deaths in December, more than 16,800 deaths above the previous monthly record set in April. Weekly deaths peaked in December in 30 states.

The winter holidays also brought changes in who gets tested, how many testing sites are open, and how fast labs and governments reported data. That means some of December's numbers will end up be tabulated in January

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's premiere infectious disease expert, warned last week that January likely will be worse than December.

 — Mike Stucka/USA Today

1:30 p.m. Monday: Another pandemic record: TSA screened 1.3 million travelers Sunday as holiday travelers headed home

More than 1.3 million travelers passed through the nation's airports on Sunday, a new pandemic travel record as passengers headed home from the holidays.

The Transportation Security Administration said it screened 1,327,289 people, topping the 1,284,599 a week earlier on the Sunday after Christmas.

Those numbers are still down significantly from a year ago, but the the holiday travel season has been stronger than expected given the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advice to stay home during the year end holidays, a repeat of advice during Thanksgiving.

Passenger counts topped 1 million on 11 days beginning the Saturday before Christmas. During one stretch, there were five consecutive days of more than 1 million screened travelers.

The number of passengers screened fell below 100,000 in April. Numbers have climbed steadily since but didn't top 1 million until mid-October before retreating before the Thanksgiving and Christmas rush. 

In 2019, the TSA screened as many as 2.6 million travelers a day during Christmas and New Year's.

— Dawn Gilbertson/USA Today

12:30 p.m. Monday: COVID-19 hospitalizations in AZ hit record highs as state reports over 5,100 new cases

Arizona's hospital bed occupancy by COVID-19 patients continued to hit new records as the state reported more than 5,100 new cases and three new known deaths on Monday.

Inpatient hospital beds, ICU beds and ventilators in use by COVID-19 patients all reached new records on Sunday.

The state data dashboard shows 93% of all ICU beds and 92% of all inpatient beds in Arizona were in use Sunday, with 61% of ICU beds and 54% of non-ICU beds occupied by COVID-19 patients. Statewide, there were 131 ICU beds and 667 non-ICU beds available. 

Arizona's seven-day new-case average ranks second-highest in the nation, and public health experts expect the virus to spread further because of personal contact over the holidays.

The number of patients with suspected or known COVID-19 in ICUs across Arizona was at 1,082 on Sunday, a new record high. The previous record was 1,081 on Saturday. During the summer surge in mid-July, ICU beds in use for COVID-19 peaked at 970.

Arizonans with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 on ventilators tallied 782 on Sunday, also a new record high. Saturday's 762 was the previous record. During the summer surge, July 16 was the peak day for ventilator use with 687 patients.

New cases in Arizona have eclipsed 5,000 for 23 of the past 30 days.

Monday's 5,158 new cases brought the total number of identified COVID-19 cases in the state to 561,542. As of Monday, 9,064 Arizonans are known to have died from the disease, according to the data dashboard from the Arizona Department of Health Services. 

— Alison Steinbach

10 a.m. Monday: Workers file hundreds of COVID-19 safety complaints

The Industrial Commission of Arizona received more than 400 complaints in 2020 about workplace safety during the novel coronavirus pandemic, but hadn't cited a single employer through mid-December.  

The office is focused on education, not citations that can include financial penalties, an ICA spokesperson said. 

The commission's Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health reviews complaints and contacts each business by phone, email or in-person, depending on the situation, according to Trevor Laky, the ICA spokesperson. Businesses must provide evidence that the complaint is invalid or correct the problem, he said.

The workplace safety division had received 418 pandemic-related complaints as of Dec. 16. 

"The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) has been working tirelessly to help keep Arizona's workforce safe during this pandemic," Laky said in a statement.

Workplace inspections or investigations may not lead to a citation, but complaint files are only closed once an employer shows they are following state and federal recommendations and standards, according to Laky. 

As Arizona battles among the highest rates of COVID-19 cases in the country, many of the recent complaints revolved around employers not enforcing mask usage or social distancing, according to Laky. 

A handful of Phoenix-area residents described a range of workplace experiences to The Arizona Republic. Some feel safe working at home or confident in a socially distanced office. Others say they've lost trust in their employer for failing to require masks or other safety measures, and not alerting them when a coworker tests positive for the virus.

— Alison Steinbach