All residents of Maricopa County are now required to mask in public after a decision by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors on Friday as cases of COVID-19 continue to surge.
Those over the age of six are now required to mask in public spaces, like the grocery store, hotels, public transportation, gyms and restaurants. Parents and guardians are asked to make an effort to mask their children between the ages of two and five.
Masks are not required at home or in personal spaces, like office cubicles or in the car. In restaurants, patrons may remove their masks when eating and drinking.
The Board of Supervisors held a special meeting Friday, and the order went into effect at 12:01 a.m., Saturday.
Gov. Doug Ducey announced Wednesday in a press conference that he would allow individual cities to draft their own masking policies, citing the effectiveness of properly worn masks in stemming the spread of COVID-19.
“Every Arizonan should wear a face mask,” Ducey said. “This is an issue of personal responsibility and we’re asking Arizonans to make responsible decisions to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.”
Ducey has come under fire for not mandating masks in public statewide, even as reported COVID-19 cases in Arizona, particularly in Maricopa County, reach a record high.
At the Wednesday press conference, Ducey defended his decision not to issue a statewide masking mandate.
“I’ve focused on a stateside approach where possible,” Ducey said. “Facts on the ground… support flexibility and a localized approach.”
Phoenix, and other Valley cities, took swift action in bringing mandatory masking to city council votes. Other cities like Fountain Hills, Cave Creek and El Mirage, which declined to require masks in public, will now have no choice.
COVID-19 cases have increased sharply since the Arizona’s stay-at-home order expired one month ago. As of June 20, the Arizona Department of Health and county health departments have reported 28,088 positive cases and 603 deaths in the state.
The enforcement approach of mandatory masking remains to be seen. When Phoenix City Council passed its masking measure earlier on Friday, Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams indicated that officers tasked with enforcement would “lead with education” and that citations would not be issued for first-time violations.
Since county regulations supersede city regulations, what enforcement could look like in Maricopa County is unclear.
Contact the reporter at mkackley@asu.edu.
Madeline is the community editor for Downtown Devil and is a senior studying at the Walter Cronkite School. She is a local freelance journalist who primarily covers politics, policing, immigration and business. In 2019, she won first place in her category in the national SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards for her reporting on deported veterans in Tijuana, Mexico with Cronkite News.
