Scottsdale mayor reacts to large gatherings at bars, restaurants during Memorial Day weekend
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Partygoers were out at local bars and restaurants over the weekend, and many of them were noticeably not wearing masks or following social distancing guidelines.
Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus cases and deaths in our state continue to go up.
This past Memorial Day weekend, we saw a lot of people, mostly in Scottsdale according to social media, seemingly ignoring the governor’s guidelines for staying safe in the middle of this pandemic.
It appears, there’s been little to no enforcement on keeping these gatherings from happening.
State leaders appear to be silent about the crowds gathering as social distancing is still being strongly recommended.
To date, the state has 16,783 cases and 807 deaths.
According to data from the Arizona Department of Health Services, people between the ages of 20-44 make up 39% of confirmed cases. Those patients are less likely than elderly patients to end up in the hospital or die from COVID-19.
FOX 10 reached out Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, public health director Dr. Cara Christ, the Maricopa County Public Health Department for reaction to partygoers’ disregard for current COVID-19 safety guidelines. The governor’s office did not reply and the rest declined to give an interview or statement.
Here is a statement from Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane on this matter:
The images from Old Town Scottsdale this weekend are disturbing, and frankly show a real lack of common sense and civic responsibility. Businesses and their patrons need to realize that individually we each play an absolute part in our own personal hygiene, distancing and health courtesies, and each of us also plays a significant part in our city’s health, both physically and economically. This disease is spread between people – and personal actions determine whether public health guidance is effective in blunting the spread of COVID-19. We succeeded together in preventing our medical services from being overwhelmed. It was a costly effort; many businesses and individuals paid a huge cost for the success we have had to date.It is imperative that all businesses comply with the governor’s executive orders – to ignore them is to risk faster spread of this disease and further damage to our physical and economic wellbeing. In responding to reports about non-compliance to the governor’s orders and public health guidelines, we educate businesses and solicit their cooperation first. I am personally reaching out to the businesses that were shown over this past weekend to be open with large crowds, so that I can discuss with them the importance of our continued progress. If we choose to respect one another as part of a community effort, we will bring the city and the country back. There are other steps that can be employed under the state and city emergency declarations if needed – we take these matters very seriously.Now more than ever we need people and businesses to do the right things. Stay home if you are sick or have any symptoms of illness; wash or sanitize your hands frequently; stay six feet away from others wherever possible and cover your nose and mouth when you can’t keep your distance.
For more on how the state is handling the pandemic, visit https://www.fox10phoenix.com/shows/coronavirus-in-arizona