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Videos of packed bars and clubs draw concern as COVID cases continue to rise in Arizona
People were seen gathering at Scottsdale bars, even amid news of a surge in COVID-19 cases in Arizona.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - As the numbers continue to tick upward in Arizona, videos of packed bars and clubs in the Valley are drawing concern.
A lot of people were seen crowded together, not social distancing and not wearing masks. This was the case in Old Town Scottsdale over the weekend.
Several bars were packed with mostly young people, enjoying the evening and each other's company. But what you don't see in the video are many masks or much social distancing.
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Just the opposite in fact. Large gatherings following none of the Centers for Disease Control's guidelines, but this has pretty much been the scene since the state reopened last month.
Scottsdale's mayor condemned it and so has the governor, but not much has changed.
Thomas Baldric, who owns the video production company Arizona Live, recorded video on Saturday night after simply coming to the area to see what was going on.
MAP: Arizona Coronavirus cases by zip code
“No I’m not surprised. Because it’s Arizona. At first I was surprised more people were not wearing masks. But as this has gone along, no, I’m not surprised. Not at all," he said.
Young people age 24 to 44 are seeing some of the fastest growing coronavirus case numbers in the state.
On Monday morning, we saw crews cleaning the plexiglass partitions at a bar. Thomas says they were not there on Saturday night, but clearly an effort to add some safety features.
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