Pima County appears to be covered by the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline Tuesday calling for vaccinated people to again wear masks indoors in much of the U.S.
The guideline applies to counties rated as having high or substantial COVID-19 transmission. Pima County transmission is rated as substantial, and its health director is scheduled to talk about the local impact at a news conference Wednesday, July 28.
Twelve of Arizona's other 14 counties are also ranked as having high or substantial transmission. Cochise and Yuma have moderate levels of transmission, CDC says, and aren't covered by the new mask guideline.
Noting that the delta variant of the coronavirus is fueling infection surges, the CDC cited new information about the variant's ability to spread among vaccinated people.
The agency also recommended indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors at schools nationwide, regardless of vaccination status.
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey said in response:
"Arizona does not allow mask mandates, vaccine mandates, vaccine passports or discrimination in schools based on who is or isn’t vaccinated. We’ve passed all of this into law, and it will not change."
"Public health officials in Arizona and across the country have made it clear that the best protection against COVID-19 is the vaccine.
"Today’s announcement by the CDC will unfortunately only diminish confidence in the vaccine and create more challenges for public health officials," Ducey's written statement said in part.
Washes and canyons have been flowing strongly around Tucson after seeing the wettest monsoon season on record through July 25, according to the National Weather Service.
This video shows rushing water nearing its peak in Sabino Canyon the morning of Sunday, July 25.
Video courtesy Coronado National Forest.
