The Pima County Health Department says it's unsafe to reopen schools for traditional face-to-face learning as the coronavirus continues to heavily impact the Tucson community.
The guidance to Tucson-area schools, released Tuesday, July 28, says the earliest traditional instruction could be anticipated to resume is after Labor Day.
Pima County Health Department Director Dr. Theresa Cullen and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Francisco Garcia formed their recommendation, which schools are not required to follow, based on public health data, a memo from County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said.
Reasons noted to delay in-person traditional instruction include:
• Local, daily COVID-19 infections are at the highest amounts since the pandemic began. Pima County's total monthly infections have gone from 153 for March to more than 6,700 confirmed cases thus far for the month of July alone.
• Transmission rates are above 11%. The World Health Organization recommends rates should be below 5% prior to reopening.
• Masks were only recently mandated and it will take six weeks to see if the mitigation strategy is working.
• COVID-19 hospitalizations are at record levels. Local hospitals have nearly exceeded their ICU bed capacity, transferring some critical patients to other hospitals in the state.
• Widespread testing is just now becoming available, and timely test results to allow for contact tracing don’t exist in Pima County.
Though the guidance does not advise resuming traditional face-to-face learning, it does recommend the opening of school facilities for at-risk youth on a limited basis as envisioned in Gov. Doug Ducey's latest executive order.
Such sites would provide adult supervision during school hours for children who would be completing remote learning assignments.
While Ducey's executive order directs schools to make a special effort to accommodate vulnerable students at those sites starting Aug. 17, it also says schools cannot refuse any student.
On the athletics front, Pima County recommended that interscholastic sports and extracurricular activities planned for the fall semester be delayed until spring 2021, with the exception of those activities that can be done safely while mask-wearing and physically distancing.
Tucson's largest school district, TUSD, said on Monday that it intended to follow the Pima County Health Department recommendations.
Photos: July Motormarch 2.0 for Safe Schools in Tucson
Motormarch 2.0 for Safe Schools
Updated
Ryer Dixon helps get her family car decorated as a few hundred get their vehicles in the proper protest spirit for the Tucson Motormarch 2.0, staging at Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, Ariz., July 22, 2020. The protestors were advocating for a delay in the opening of in-school classes in light of Arizona's rocketing COVID19 numbers. The motorcade took a circuitous route through southwest Tucson ending at Sentinel Peak.
Motormarch 2.0 for Safe Schools
Updated
Tucson High School biology teacher Marea Jenness writes her protest message in her car's windows as a few hundred get their vehicles decorated for the Tucson Motormarch 2.0 while staging at Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, Ariz., July 22, 2020. The march was organized to protest the opening of in-school classes in light of Arizona's rocketing COVID19 numbers.
Motormarch 2.0 for Safe Schools
Updated
Cholla High School teacher Jose Federico waves as he counts the vehicles heading down from Sentinel Peak as a few hundred protestors wrap up the Tucson Motormarch 2.0 while staging at Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, Ariz., July 22, 2020. Heading out organizers counted 170 vehicles, Federico totaled up 148 heading off the mountain.
Motormarch 2.0 for Safe Schools
Updated
Jaye Harden climbs up on the trunk to get the best possible angle for writing on the rear window as a few hundred protestors get their vehicles decorated for the Tucson Motormarch 2.0 staging at Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, Ariz., July 22, 2020.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
Andrea Ayala, a teacher at Pueblo High School, advocated for keeping campuses closed during a July 15 Motor March for Safe Schools in Tucson, Ariz.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
One of about 100 cars filled with Tucson Unified School District educators and supporters participate in a Motor March for Safe Schools in downtown Tucson on July 15, 2020.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
About 100 cars filled with Tucson Unified School District educators and supporters participate in a Motor March for Safe Schools on July 15, 2020 in Tucson, Ariz.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
Lysa Nabours, a teacher and secretary at Tucson Education Association, checks out her decoration on a car before the start of the March for Safe Schools on July 15, 2020 in Tucson, Ariz.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
About 100 cars filled with Tucson Unified School District educators and supporters participate in a Motor March for Safe Schools on July 15, 2020 in Tucson, Ariz.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
About 100 cars filled with Tucson Unified School District educators and supporters participate in a Motor March for Safe Schools on July 15, 2020 in Tucson, Ariz.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
Tucson Unified School District educators and supporters participate in a Motor March for Safe Schools on July 15, 2020 in Tucson, Ariz. About 100 cars and a few cyclists showed up for the event that was part of a statewide initiative to make political leaders aware of their concerns about opening schools for in-person instruction during a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
Ryan Kuchta, 13, middle, is joined by his parents, Mark and Sonya, as they show their support for educators during the Motor March for Safe Schools event on July 15, 2020 in downtown Tucson.
Motor March for Safe Schools
Updated
About 100 cars filled with Tucson Unified School District educators and supporters participate in a Motor March for Safe Schools on July 15, 2020 in Tucson, Ariz.
