MOHAVE COUNTY – Mohave County’s COVID-19 emergency declaration has been rescinded. The Board of Supervisors voted to lift the declaration Monday, after the Department of Public Health reported that county coronavirus case counts are up 70% since Sept.
Dist. 2 Sup. Hildy Angius believes recovery rates are more important than case counts. She noted better than 99% of infected people 0-69 years of age survive, while the survival rate is still at 94.6% for those 70 and older.
“I think that these numbers should never get lost,” Angius said. “To me it’s always been about the fatalities, and the survival rate is very, very high.”
It is unclear what impacts may result from the county lifting the order. What happens next was a question put to Deputy County Attorney Ryan Esplin.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Esplin responded.
“Mohave County may be making history with the State of Arizona because I don’t think any other county has rescinded their emergency declarations to date,” Board Chairman Jean Bishop said.
Dist. 1 Sup. Gary Watson noted that the county health department will still be required to enforce components of Governor Doug Ducey’s COVID-19 executive orders. “We should be clear to any of our constituents that any action that Mohave County has to take is because of the Governor,” Watson said.
That includes health department enforcement of restrictions regarding bars and restaurants, movie theaters and certain water recreation activity, according to Deputy County Attorney Lenore Knudtson.
“Until and unless the executive order is rescinded at the Governor’s level or the Mohave County Board of Supervisors votes to change its enforcement practice, the health department has no choice but to continue to enforce, she said.
Angius thinks the county should review and change the enforcement policy adopted by the Board on Sept. 3. She garnered Board approval for a special meeting Monday strictly focused on the Governor’s order and enforcement options in Mohave County.
Angius also said she’d like to hear from citizens and business owners. She said she has learned some other counties are approaching enforcement more reasonably.
“They are taking a more gentle hand on enforcement,” Angius said. “I believe that Mohave County is putting a very heavy hand on enforcement and we are seeing the results of that.”
Knudtson said the county has not fined or taken any business to Court thus far. She said one Golden Valley business (Great American Pizza) has shut down after the county directed it to do so Friday because of compliance failures noted during multiple inspections.
Dave Hawkins
Your last paragraph misrepresented what was stated at the meeting AND was posted by the owners of Great American Pizza, which follows:
“ We will not comply to the heavy hand of government, it is impossible for us to function and wear masks in our kitchen, we refused and we were told that if we do not comply, we will be fined $1000 a day utill we comply. We have chosen to close our restaurant and fight it. This is un-American, this is tyranny on our doorstep, and we recognise it for what it is.
It is time that somebody makes a stand for WE THE PEOPLE. Jean Bishop needs to remove the mandate, or be recalled and removed from office!“
Robert and Kathleen Hall
Owners of Great American Pizza
It’s about time you lift the the Mohave County emergency! Now how about looking into freeing all the elderly who have been incarcerated in assisted living facilities against their will all year “for their own safety?” My mother and many of my patients would love to have the right to go out for lunch and shopping, or even just be able to visit their family and friends! Many feel like they’ll never get out for the rest of their lives! Please think about that!!!