PHOENIX — Arizonans will continue to live under a stay-at-home order at least through May 15, the governor announced Wednesday.
But when they do go out shopping —something already permitted — they will have more choices, starting next week.
And they might be able to dine out starting May 12, under a "best case scenario."
Gov. Doug Ducey said there just isn't data from the state Department of Health Services to show Arizona has beaten back the COVID-19 outbreak to allow his stay-at-home order, issued a month ago, to self-destruct as scheduled Thursday night.
"There is not a trend,'' he said. "And what I'm looking for, what (health director) Dr. Cara Christ are looking for, are trends.''
But Ducey said he does feel comfortable enough to allow some retail businesses, shuttered under a separate order, to open their doors gradually.
Effective Monday, May 4, the kinds of businesses that he has not designated as "essential'' will be able to sell items out the front door. So, for example, everything from furniture stores and jewelers to beauty salons can offer products to drive-up and delivery customers.
Then, by Friday, May 8, they can allow customers in the door — providing they "establish and implement protocols and best practices.'' That specifically includes requirements for "social distancing'' of at least six feet.
There won't be any shopping at retailers located inside malls, however, unless customers can access the stores through an exterior entrance.
And bars will remain closed other than the ability to sell to drive-up and delivery customers.
Restaurants are a different story.
In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott agreed to allow them to open up but with an occupancy of no more than 25 percent of capacity. Ducey, however, who cites experience as owner of Cold Stone Creamery, said that's not acceptable.
"Anybody that's ever run a restaurant knows that 25 percent is just the surest way to continually lose a lot more money,'' he said.
Ducey provided no specific rules or guidelines for exactly how he believes they can operate safely. Instead he said he is working on a plan "in cooperation with the restaurant industry'' to allow them to reopen in a way that makes sense for the operators and is attractive to diners while keeping everyone safe.
When all that will be ready is another question.
"Our goal is to do that sometime in May,'' he said. "We are aspiratonal at this time. The best case scenario, according to the industry, would be on May 12.''
Ducey made it clear that, for the time being, things won't be the way they were before he shut them down in March.
"When you do walk in to one of those opened restaurants for dine-in, it will be a different experience,'' he said. At the very least, the governor said, diners should expect the employees to all wear masks.
One thing Ducey did make clear is that his word is law — and that individual cities are not free to conclude local health conditions require that restaurants and retailers remain closed longer than he directs.
"When I give guidance statewide, it is statewide, and it is enforceable by law,'' he said.
Ducey did say he might consider enacting rules on a county-by-county basis.
There is precedent for that: His original closure orders applied only to counties where residents tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Ducey said that none of this easing of restrictions will matter — or will help struggling businesses — if Arizonans are not comfortable with going out.
He said a business executive he did not identify told him that probably 30 percent of Arizonans are primed and ready to go out.
Another 30 percent, Ducey said, may be uncomfortable resuming normal activities until there is a vaccine to protect people against COVID-19. He said, though, they may be "persuadable.''
What that leaves — and what businesses will need — is that 40 percent of people somewhere in the middle. That will require them to believe that a restaurant is cleaner, that social distancing is being enforced, "that the server and the food people on the line not only had a mask on where appropriate but they had gloves,'' Ducey said.
It might require restaurants to go to disposable menus to prevent the virus from spreading from customer to customer.
Ducey said he's gotten "pretty close to 100 percent cooperation'' from business owners to his existing orders.
But he acknowledged that there has been frustration, to the point where some business owners, including a few who attended a march on the Capitol earlier this month, had threatened to fully reopen this Friday, May 1, regardless of what the governor decided.
Ducey said he's not about to let that happen.
"This is an order that is enforceable by law,'' he said. "A violation is a $2,500 fine and up to six months in jail.''
There's another side to the governor's decision to relax rules for businesses. Some employees are uncomfortable going back to work because they fear exposure to COVID-19, whether for themselves or because they don't want to bring it home to a medically fragile family member. That raises the possibility they could lose their unemployment benefits.
"We're going to have flexibility around this,'' Ducey said. But he said altering the rules might require him to work with legislative leaders.
The governor said his decisions to not allow his stay-at-home order to expire and to not simply allow all businesses to operate should not come as any surprise.
"I don't think anybody ever believed that on May 1 we would have a return to normalcy in Arizona,'' he said.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said she applauded Ducey's measured approach.
In response to Ducey limiting cities from taking their own action, she said she hopes he seeks input from mayors and other local officials "who are on the frontlines of this pandemic."
"Every day that our local businesses remain closed and our workers without jobs pains me. I am as eager as anyone to begin gradually re-opening our economy, however we must do so in a manner that is safe and consistent with the advice of public health experts," Romero said in a written statement.
"It is critical that a phased-in re-opening follows the guidelines established by the CDC, and locally by the Pima County Health Department. To date, Arizona and Pima County have not met this criteria."
"Every day that our local businesses remain closed and our workers without jobs pains me. I am as eager as anyone to begin gradually re-opening our economy, however we must do so in a manner that is safe and consistent with the advice of public health experts," Romero said in a written statement. "It is critical that a phased-in re-opening follows the guidelines established by the CDC, and locally by the Pima County Health Department. To date, Arizona and Pima County have not met this criteria."
Photos for April 23: Tucson gets by during Coronavirus Pandemic
Tucson, coronavirus
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Erika Munoz, owner of Seis Kitchen, hands over a bag of meals to Michael Gallagher Carondelet, a registered nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital, to distribute to other nurses and hospital workers, on April 23, 2020. The donation was made in conjunction with A+C (Athletes/Artists+Causes) Foundation's “Project Frontline.” In two deliveries, 400 meals (200 poc chuck chicken and 200 puerco verde burritos) will be given to medical personnel at Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital. The particular donation was made possible by the Houston Astros' Pitching Coach Brent Strom, who lives in Tucson.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Hospital workers wheel in carts full of catered meals donated by Seis Kitchen to Carondelet St. Joseph's Hospital, on April 23, 2020. The donation was made in conjunction with A+C (Athletes/Artists+Causes) Foundation's “Project Frontline.” In two deliveries, 400 meals (200 poc chuck chicken and 200 puerco verde burritos) will be given to medical personnel at Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital. The particular donation was made possible by the Houston Astros' Pitching Coach Brent Strom, who lives in Tucson.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Kristi Hall, a sixth grade teacher at Desert Sky Middle School, participates in planning a lesson with a fellow teacher on Zoom, at her home on April 17, 2020. Schools in the Vail School District are supposed to open in July due to their year-round school calendar. Plans are being made for the possibility of students returning to the physical classroom.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Bry Kelley, a warehouse assistant, places a pallet filled with food down next to other items donated to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona on on April 21, 2020. Forty-one thousand pounds of flour, pasta and canned goods were donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The donation is part of an ongoing global effort by the church to address immediate needs of people and orgainzations due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Tucson, coronavirus
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A pallet of food is placed down next to other items donated to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona on on April 21, 2020. Forty-one thousand pounds of flour, pasta and canned goods were donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The donation is part of an ongoing global effort by the church to address immediate needs of people and orgainzations due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Tucson, coronavirus
Updated
Christian Bergman, 4th year University of Arizona medical student, takes the temperature of a patient outside the Z Mansion, 288 N. Church Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on April 19, 2020. Medical students from the University of Arizona and other universities volunteer to help the homeless population with the growing concerns of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) within the homeless population. “This is a vulnerable population in our community; they can’t defend themselves in a society already running short on supplies and resources,” said Bergman. Medical students and medical personal help by giving out food, drinks with electrolytes and masks to the homeless. Those who are sick, medically impaired or have been exposed to those with COVID-19 are isolated outdoors in tents on the property. As of Sunday April 19, there were 13 individuals whom are isolated in tents.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Lekha Chesnick, 1st year medical student at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine, talks with a homeless man (whom choose to not give his name) outside of the Z Mansion, 288 N. Church Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on April 19, 2020. Medical students from the University of Arizona and other universities volunteer to help the homeless population with the growing concerns of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) within the homeless population. Medical students and medical personal help by giving out food, drinks with electrolytes and masks to the homeless. Those who are sick, medically impaired or have been exposed to those with COVID-19 are isolated outdoors in tents on the property. As of Sunday April 19, there were 13 individuals whom are isolated in tents.
Tucson, coronavirus
Updated
Christian Bergman, 4th year University of Arizona medical student, checks on a patient outside the Z Mansion, 288 N. Church Ave., in Tucson, Ariz., on April 19, 2020. Medical students from the University of Arizona and other universities volunteer to help the homeless population with the growing concerns of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) within the homeless population. “This is a vulnerable population in our community; they can’t defend themselves in a society already running short on supplies and resources,” said Bergman. Medical students and medical personal help by giving out food, drinks with electrolytes and masks to the homeless. Those who are sick, medically impaired or have been exposed to those with COVID-19 are isolated outdoors in tents on the property. As of Sunday April 19, there were 13 individuals whom are isolated in tents.
Tucson, coronavirus
Updated
Elliott Dumont, owner of Roadrunner Bicycles, 6177 E. Broadway Blvd., works on a customer's bike on April 22, 2020. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has not slowed down bike shops. With many people at home, they are bringing bicycles for repairs and buying new ones for exercise. Dumont says he's booked out till the first week of May for tuneups on bikes.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Elliot DuMont, owner of Roadrunner Bicycles, 6177 E. Broadway Blvd., far left, helps Ethan Sasz, far right, and his son, Evan, 10, with a mountain bike purchase on April 22, 2020. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has not slowed down bike shops. With many people at home, they are bringing bicycles for repairs and buying new ones for exercise. Dumont says he's booked out till the first week of May for tuneups on bikes.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Marcella Montoya waits in her vehicle as general manger David Kessler brings out her order, as Bear Canyon Pizza serving their customers despite COVID-19 restrictions, April 22, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Kitchen manger Koa Hoffmann tosses dough while working up a crust for a call-in order as he and few others keep cooking at Bear Canyon Pizza despite COVID-19 restrictions, April 22, 2020, Tucson, Ariz.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Alvaro Enciso, a local artist, works in one of his studios at his home on April 9, 2020. Every Tuesday Enciso travels into the Sonoran desert to post crosses where migrants have died after crossing illegally over the U.S./Mexico border as part of a project he's titled Donde Mueren Los Suenos / Where Dreams Die. With the outbreak of the coronavirus disease his six year project is on hold and instead he works on other artwork at home.
Tucson, coronavirus
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Dolly Spalding works on a pen and ink drawing in her apartment at the Redondo Tower Apartments on April 7, 2020. During her quarantine, Spalding has been creating drawings of all the Greek goddesses. She is collaborating with Emlyn Boyle, an artist from Ireland, and plans to publish a book with Boyle's writings.
