“The main problem we’re seeing in our hospital is Staff 1,” said county health director Lee Thompson Friday. “One of our hospitals has around 51 of their caregivers with COVID. Being able to make the bed was really a challenge.”
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On Sierra Vista, “Canyon Vista (hospital) hasn’t reduced capacity to 100% in weeks,” he said. “In ED, they are more than 100% of the amplitude.”
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Thompson said the state grant could help hospitals in the northern part of the district, in particular, as it would allow counties to set up free testing sites. This will prevent people from going to crowded hospitals, where they usually go, for tests.
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English said the board had a policy of not reversing previous decisions, meaning it would be impossible to follow in Pinal County’s lead and receive grants at a later date.
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Meanwhile, the deaths continued. The number stood at 494 on Saturday, leaving the COVID-19 death rate at 378 per 100,000 people, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. That is higher than the statewide rate of 349 per 100,000, the second highest of all states.
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All of this happened in an area that lost 4.5% of its population between the 2010 and 2020 censuses.
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