Real World Data Shows Vaccination is Highly Effective in Preventing Hospitalization
Since mid-December, when the first Pfizer vaccines reached Arizona, ADHS has been working with our local county health departments and tribes to get the COVID-19 vaccine distributed to vulnerable Arizonans as quickly as possible. Arizonans living in long-term care facilities and those 65 years of age and older were prioritized first […]
New CDC guidance on masks provides another reason to get vaccinated
There are many good reasons to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19. It protects you, your family, your friends, and your community.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today offered another good reason: You no longer need to wear a mask for certain outdoor activities.
Specifically, the […]
Reclassified cases artificially inflate Friday’s dashboard additions
Today, our dashboards will show the addition of approximately 625 cases across three counties (Gila County – 270, Graham County – 142, Navajo County – 213). While these will appear as “new cases” for Friday’s case counts, these represent infections from throughout the pandemic, with 73% of the cases testing positive during […]
Arizona’s Hybrid Prioritization Model for Vaccine Distribution
Since mid-December, when the first Pfizer vaccines reached Arizona, ADHS has been working with our local county health departments and tribes to get the COVID-19 vaccine distributed to vulnerable Arizonans as quickly as possible. To further this goal, Arizona recently adopted a hybrid model prioritizing those at
New COVID-19 Data Dashboard Updates
It has been almost a year since ADHS launched our COVID-19 dashboard. Since then, our dashboard has undergone many enhancements and has had new sections added. Our reporting regarding this disease continues to evolve as we collect additional data and learn about which data elements are most useful to understand […]
The CDC issues encouraging guidance for fully vaccinated individuals
Over the past few months, you may have heard me call COVID-19 vaccines the light at the end of the tunnel. As more and more Arizonans get the Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines, we will start to see life returning to normal. That light is getting brighter […]
Cara M. Christ, M.D., M.S. became Director for the Arizona Department of Health Services in May 2015. Dr. Christ has served the agency for more than nine years. Among her many accomplishments at ADHS, Dr. Christ collaborated with health partners and stakeholders to develop strategic plans for infectious disease prevention and control including the Governor’s Council on Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response. She was involved in leading statewide efforts during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and worked with partners to find solutions to improve childhood vaccination programs. In 2012, Dr. Christ managed the development and implementation of 20 Articles of Arizona Administrative Code for Health Care Institutions allowing integration of physical and behavioral health services statewide. Dr. Christ obtained her master's degree in microbiology with an emphasis in molecular virology and public health. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Follow the Director on Twitter @DrCaraChrist.
