Cloth Face Coverings: What You Need To Know
As COVID-19 continues to spread in the United States, the CDC has recommended wearing cloth face coverings in public when physical distancing is difficult to maintain. Out and about in our communities, many Arizonans are following these recommendations. Studies continue to be published showing how COVID-19 can be spread through speaking, coughing, sneezing -- including by people who don’t even know they’re [...]
Thank You to EMS Agencies for Helping Arizona Respond to the COVID-19 Outbreak
May 17-23, 2020, is Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week. This year’s theme for EMS Week, “Ready Today, Preparing For Tomorrow” is appropriate given our current statewide response to the COVID-19 pandemic. EMS providers (including EMTs, paramedics, emergency nurses and physicians, 9-1-1 dispatchers, and EMS educators) have been on the front line of Arizona’s COVID-19 response since day one. When our colleges [...]
Testing for COVID-19: PCR and Serology (Antibody Testing)
There are now multiple types of COVID-19 tests available, including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and serology (antibody testing). Both test types are becoming increasingly available in our communities. The PCR test is a diagnostic test that looks for the presence of viral nucleic acids and tells if a person is currently infected with the virus. A new diagnostic test, known [...]
Consejos para ayudar a manejar condiciones de salud crónicas durante el brote de COVID-19
Mientras es posible que cualquier persona sufra de una enfermedad grave por el coronavirus (COVID-19), es fundamental señalar que los grupos de mayor riesgo incluyen personas de 65 años o más, y personas que consumen tabaco o padecen problemas de salud subyacentes como una enfermedad del corazón, diabetes, asma, cáncer u otras enfermedades respiratorias crónicas. En Arizona, una de cada [...]
Identifying COVID-19 Deaths in Arizona
Today’s dashboard includes an important update to the COVID-19 data including notable changes related to the identification of COVID-19 deaths in Arizona. Surveillance of deaths is an important component of any communicable disease investigation. This surveillance can provide key information about risk factors and the severity of a disease, especially when dealing with a novel virus. As a result of [...]
Modeling, Data Analysis, and Next Steps for Arizona’s Response to COVID-19
We appreciate the work of the talented professionals who assisted our team of public health professionals and experienced epidemiologists in developing a state model. The department established the partnership to provide an additional model for consideration. This model was completed on April 20, 2020. With months of data now available, we have shifted our primary focus from predictive models to [...]