What You Need to Know-Week of May 17th
The most important weekly updates for you to keep your community healthy
In this Update:
1. Stay-at-Home Order Ends
2. Stay-at-Home Order Ends, Safety Precautions Continue
3. Pandemic Preparedness: Alternatives to common cleaning supplies
1. Stay-at-Home Order Ends
Special contribution from Leila Barraza, JD, MPH
On May 12, Governor Ducey announced a new Stay Healthy, Return Smarter, Return Stronger Order for the state of Arizona. The prior Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected Order expired on Friday, May 15. Businesses that were previously closed may now reopen beginning May 16. However, any business that serves the public or is an employer must establish and implement policies that prioritize physical distancing, proper hand hygiene and disinfecting and sanitizing practices.
- Beginning May 13: gyms, pools, and spas may reopen if they follow physical distancing and sanitation procedures.
- Beginning May 16: Major league sports can resume without fans.
Some businesses may choose to remain closed despite the Stay-at-Home Order ending.
2. Stay-at-Home Order Ends, Safety Precautions Continue
Cases of COVID-19 are still increasing in Arizona. Therefore, as AZ businesses begin to reopen, it is still necessary to take safety precautions in order to reduce the spread of the virus.
Sanitizing and disinfecting? Yes!
You should still continue to practice proper hand hygiene by thoroughly washing your hands often for at least 20 seconds. It is also important to regularly disinfect or clean commonly touched household surfaces, as well as launder clothing and reusable cleaning materials, including rags or towels. Consider leaving shoes and footwear outside after going in public to reduce the possibility of tracking the virus inside your home.
Physical Distancing? Yes!
COVID-19 mainly spreads through close contact with an infected individual. Avoiding crowds or groups of 10 or more people, staying a minimum of 6 feet away from other people, and wearing face masks have proven to be effective methods of reducing the spread of COVID-19. Physical distancing, also referred to as social distancing, helps to protect vulnerable people in our community, such as older adults or the immunocompromised. If you have vulnerable household members, it is particularly important for everyone in the home – not just the vulnerable people themselves – to stay home until we are near zero new cases of COVID-19. It has been shown that if one person in the household contracts the virus, other members of the household are more likely to become infected.
- Physical distancing is helping to flatten the curve and break chains of transmission! Fewer people are getting sick and spreading the virus to others. For these reasons, physical distancing must continue and is most effective when everyone participates.
Cloth face coverings? Yes!
Using a cloth face covering while out in public has been shown to slow the spread of COVID-19. To use them safely remember:
- Cloth face coverings should be washed after every use, or at least every day.
- Children under the age of 2 should not wear face coverings.
3. Pandemic Preparedness: Alternatives to common cleaning supplies
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has compiled a list of cleaning products that are known to be effective against COVID-19. If you are considering purchasing unfamiliar brands of disinfectants or cleaners, be sure to check the EPA’s “N” list of cleaners before purchasing to ensure that you are spending your money on a product that is known to work against COVID-19.
1. Visit this link and click the “Launch” button.
2. Click on “Keyword Search.”
3. Type any product name or company title in the search bar.
For example, if you search “clorox” under product name, all of the clorox products that are effective against COVID-19 will appear in the table below the search area.
When handling cleaning supplies, it is always important to check the manufacturer’s label to learn how to correctly and safely use a product. Remember not to mix cleaning or disinfecting products, as this can be very dangerous.
The next update will cover resources for COVID-19 and kids. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to COVID-19 in Arizona, please complete the next AZCOVIDTXT survey that you will receive via text in about a week.