Arizona had the worst COVID-19 diagnostic rate in the state last week, with 1 in 107 people diagnosed with COVID-19 from January 6 to Wednesday, January 13.
The rate is calculated by dividing a state’s population by the number of new cases in the previous week.
Arizona on Thursday reported 7,311 additional known COVID-19 cases and 182 additional deaths, increasing the state total to 649,040 cases and 10,855 deaths.
The number of infections is believed to be much higher than reported because many people have not been tested and studies suggest that people can be infected with the virus without feeling bad.
Arizona’s vaccination program was slow to take off, but officials said the first large state-run facility at State Farm Stadium in Glendale proved to be a success – administering thousands of doses daily, officials said.
The vaccination site at State Farm Stadium “was a game changer,” Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, said in a statement.
Arizona is expanding its COVID-19 vaccination program with plans that include opening another state-run facility in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The next vaccination site will open with daylight hours starting February 1 at the Phoenix Municipal Stadium near the Phoenix-Tempe line, with registration starting on Tuesday, the state Department of Health Services announced.
The Ducey government also announced on Wednesday that people 65 and older starting next week can apply to be vaccinated, reflecting updated recommendations from federal health officials.
The Department of Health Services had already allowed vaccinations for people aged 75 and over, with the younger groups following in later stages. Health officials said the latest change adds about 750,000 people to the priority vaccination list.
The state is allowing registrations for the group aged 65 and over as of Tuesday, although counties can define their own prioritization rules based on how many doses they have available, officials said.
In other developments, the Department of Health Services said the state has activated a federal program for 100 pharmacies to provide vaccines in the coming weeks and eventually increase the number to more than 800 outlets.
“As the federal government sends more doses of vaccine to Arizona, we will have more vaccination locations and schedules available soon,” said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the department.
Arizona began its vaccination program with eligibility for frontline health workers, emergency personnel and residents and employees at long-term care facilities.
Eligibility was then expanded to include law enforcement personnel, educators, childcare workers and people aged 75 and over.
YAVAPAI COUNTY
Yavapai County Community Health Services (YCCHS) reported 211 new cases of COVID-19 and five more deaths confirmed overnight, according to a press release on Thursday, January 14.
Since the start of the pandemic, the county has tested 88,943 residents with 14,517 positive cases, 5,743 recovered and 299 deaths.
YRMC West has 65 COVID-19 patients, and YRMC East is caring for 21 patients. VVMC in Cottonwood reports 28 hospitalizations for COVID-19. Prescott VA reports eight COVID-19 patients.
See related story: Yavapai County looking for bigger vaccination sites
LOCAL INFORMATION COVID-19
• For information about the Yavapai County COVID-19 vaccine: https://www.yavapai.us/chs/Home/COVID-19/Vaccine.
• Yavapai emergency telephone bank for COVID-19 Info: 928-442-5103 – Monday to Thursday, from 8 am to 5 pm
• For a COVID-19 test at the Community Health Center in Yavapai, call 928-583-1000. For a flu shot, call 928-771-3122.
• COVID-19 information en español: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/es/covid-19/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home.