HEALTH

Arizona COVID-19 updates: US reports 306 variant cases, a daily record

Arizona Republic

Arizona reported 1,075 new COVID-19 cases and 13 new known deaths on Sunday as hospitalizations for the disease have fallen to a level the state has not seen since early November. 

Arizona's average new daily case number over the last seven days ranked 18th Saturday among all states, after ranking first and second for much of January, according to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker.

Follow coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic by Republic and USA TODAY Network reporters here.

8 p.m. Sunday: Johnson & Johnson to distribute nearly 4M vaccine doses this week

Johnson & Johnson began distributing its vaccine Sunday, adding a third weapon to the country's COVID-19 arsenal.

Those doses will begin arriving at vaccine distribution sites as soon as Tuesday morning, according to Biden administration officials. Nearly 4 million doses will be equally distributed this week among all states and territories, along with doses of the other two vaccines, from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

States are responsible for distribution within their jurisdiction, but the federal government is encouraging them to make every vaccine available to every community, the officials, speaking on background, said at a Sunday evening news conference.

J&J will not make any more doses available next week, the officials said, but another 16 million should be available by the end of the month and an additional 80 million by the end of June. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have been delivered to just under 50 million Americans as of midday Sunday.

Also Sunday, an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted unanimously to recommend the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices held an emergency meeting to hear evidence on the effectiveness and possible side effects of the vaccine. The vote was 12-0 with one recusal.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on the recommendation soon afterward.

“This official CDC recommendation – which follows Saturday’s FDA decision to authorize emergency use of the vaccine – is another milestone toward an end to the pandemic,” she said in a release.

The Johnson & Johnson shot was authorized Friday by the Food and Drug Administration for people 18 and older. It requires only one dose and does not have to be frozen.

— Elizabeth Weise and Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY

6 p.m. Sunday: US reports record 306 variant cases, mostly in Florida, Michigan and Texas

The U.S. reported 306 new coronavirus variant cases Sunday, a record daily increase for viruses that can spread more easily, dodge some treatments and immunities, or both. 

Nearly all of the new cases were in three states: Florida, up 104 cases to 605; Michigan, up 85 cases to 421; and Texas, up 41 cases to 102.

Those new cases included Florida adding four cases to its previous one case of P.1, a dangerous variant first seen in Brazil. Florida also got its first reported case of B.1.351, a variant first seen in South Africa. Massachusetts and California reported two and one new cases.

Most variant cases are of B.1.1.7, first seen in the United Kingdom that the CDC says could become America's predominate version in March.

— Mike Stucka, USA TODAY

5 p.m. Sunday: Dr. Anthony Fauci says easing COVID-19 restrictions 'is really risky'

The much-ballyhooed, steady decline in new coronavirus infections and hospitalizations appears to have stalled. Experts now are trying to determine whether a new surge is underway.

In the seven-day period ending Thursday, 17 states had rising case counts over the previous seven days. In the seven-day period ending Friday, 21 states were up over the previous seven days.

The week ending Saturday saw new cases rise in 23 states from the previous week.

Yet some governors and mayors, encouraged by the steady decline and pressed by small business owners struggling to survive, are easing restrictions. New Orleans is allowing gatherings of up to 75 people indoors, 150 people outdoors. Massachusetts on Monday lifts an order requiring all businesses, including restaurants, to close by 9:30 p.m.

Dr. Anthony Fauci says he thinks easing restrictions could be premature.

"It is really risky to say, 'It's over. We're on our way out. Let's pull back,'" Fauci said Sunday on CNN's State of the Union.

– USA TODAY

4:20 p.m. Sunday: J&J vaccine rolls out after CDC thumbs-up

Johnson & Johnson began distributing its vaccine Sunday, adding a third weapon to the country's COVID-19 arsenal.

An advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted unanimously to recommend the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices held an emergency meeting to hear evidence on the effectiveness and possible side effects of the vaccine. The vote was 12-0 with one recusal.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on the recommendation soon afterward.

“This official CDC recommendation – which follows Saturday’s FDA decision to authorize emergency use of the vaccine – is another milestone toward an end to the pandemic,” she said in a release.

The Johnson & Johnson shot was authorized Friday by the Food and Drug Administration for people 18 and older. It requires only one dose and does not have to be frozen.

— Jordan Culver, John Bacon, Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY

1:50 p.m. Sunday: Arab Americans, deemed 'white' in government records, suffer an unseen COVID-19 crisis

Funeral director Goulade Farrah is haunted by his clients, whose bereavement over loved ones lost to COVID-19 plays over and over in his head.

The hospital told us he was fine, and the next thing we know he's on a ventilator.

They said go home and let us know when her oxygen level is this number, but when we went back it was too late.

We are devastated, we could not even be with him when he died.

Roughly 90% of the deaths Farrah handles at Olive Tree, the mortuary he oversees in Stanton, California, about 26 miles south of Los Angeles, are COVID-19-related. Many are Arab Americans.

Arab Americans and their advocates fear alarming rates of COVID-19 infection and deaths in their communities – but there is little data to back up these concerns because most are categorized as "white" by the federal government.

— Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY

10:30 a.m. Sunday: Arizona reports more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases, 13 new known deaths

Arizona reported 1,075 new COVID-19 cases and 13 new known deaths on Sunday as hospitalizations for the disease have fallen to a level the state has not seen since early November.

The state's COVID-19 death rate is among the worst in the country.

The COVID-19 death rate in Arizona since the pandemic began was 218 per 100,000 people as of Saturday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, putting it sixth in the country in a state ranking that separates New York City from New York state. The U.S. average was 153 deaths per 100,000 people as of Saturday, the CDC said.

New York City had the highest death rate, at 348 deaths per 100,000 people. After that followed New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Mississippi.

Arizona's average new daily case number over the last seven days ranked 18th Saturday among all states, after ranking first and second for much of January, according to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker.

— Chelsea Curtis, The Republic

5:30 p.m. Saturday: FDA authorizes Johnson & Johnson's one-dose COVID vaccine, doses expected to start rolling next week

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized a third COVID-19 vaccine for public use.

As expected on Saturday, acting Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock granted an emergency use authorization for a vaccine developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson company. 

About 4 million doses of the new vaccine should be made available next week, 20 million total during March, and another 80 million by the end of June. Because the vaccine requires only one dose, it will help protect 100 million people and take effect more rapidly than the two-dose vaccines.

The J&J vaccine joins two others, one from Pfizer-BioNTech and the other from Moderna, which have been given to nearly 50 million Americans since they were authorized in December.

— Karen Weintraub and Jordan Culver, USA TODAY

7:30 a.m. Saturday: People who've had COVID-19 might only need to get vaccinated once, studies suggest

Six recent studies suggest that people who've already come down with COVID-19 might not need to get a second vaccine dose.

The federal government has not changed its recommendation for a second dose, but studies that look at the immune response show that while a first shot gives people who've recovered from COVID-19 a huge boost, the second shot makes little difference.

"I think that makes perfect sense," said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

For someone who had COVID-19, the first shot is like a COVID-19-naive person getting a booster – they even have the side effects of someone getting a second vaccine dose, he said.

"You could argue reasonably that people who can prove they were infected – i.e., have antibodies to the virus – could reasonably just get one dose," Offit said.

There's no danger in getting a second shot, for someone who's had COVID-19, said Florian Krammer, who led one of the recent studies. But it may not provide any benefit for the time and stress it takes to make a reservation, get to and from a vaccination site and watch the needle go in.

And every person who doesn't need a second shot means a first shot for someone else.

The challenge will be identifying who doesn't need that second dose, he and others said.

— Karen Weintraub, USA Today

4 p.m. Friday: Arizona could begin receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccine as early as next week

Thousands of doses of Johnson & Johnson's single-shot Janssen COVID-19 vaccine could be heading to Arizona as early as next week.

Arizona's initial allocation of the vaccine is expected to be 50,000 to 60,000 doses, state health director Dr. Cara Christ said during a Friday afternoon news briefing.

"If it's approved we anticipate receiving vaccine in early March ... That could be as early as next week or the week after," Christ said.  "It will be allocated to counties similar to the way we allocate the Moderna based on population."

Since it's a new vaccine, the state's Janssen allocation in weeks two and three will likely be fewer doses than the first allocation, Christ said. Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which require two doses to be fully effective, the Janssen vaccine requires just one dose.

State health officials are still in discussions with county health officials across the state about where the Janssen vaccine doses will go, and who will be getting them, Christ said.

"One of the recommendations we've made since it's a one dose vaccine is to potentially use it for populations that may have difficulty coming back or being found for that second dose," she said.

"We're still working on the overall distribution plan. There are going to be people who want the one dose either because they are afraid of needles or they don't want to come back. There are going to be people who want the two dose (vaccine). It's going to be interesting to see how the community reacts to the different types of vaccine."

The state of Arizona is still vaccinating people only in phases 1A and priority group 1B, which includes health care workers, first responders, long-term care facility staff, long-term care residents, people ages 75 and older, K-12 school staff and childcare workers, law enforcement/protective services, and people 65 and older.

As of Friday 1.2 million people in Arizona had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and nearly a half million had been fully vaccinated with two doses.

— Stephanie Innes

3:15 p.m. Friday: Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine cleared for expected FDA authorization within days

A government advisory committee voted unanimously Friday to recommend authorizing a COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson for use in adults.

If the acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration agrees, as expected over the next few days, the vaccine could begin rolling out in the U.S. next week.

The J&J vaccine would be the third vaccine to reach Americans, joining ones from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, which have been provided to 46 million people since December.

— Karen Weintraub, USA Today 

2:45 p.m. Friday: Severe headaches may be an aftereffect of COVID-19, Phoenix neurologist says

Phoenix neurologist Dr. Kerry Knievel says she's treating an increasing number of patients suffering from severe headaches after recovering from COVID-19.

Patients are developing headaches, including migraines, related to COVID-19 that often persist for weeks to months after they’ve recovered, said Knievel, who is director of the Jan and Tom Lewis Migraine Treatment Program at Barrow Neurological Institute. Those patients frequently have no history of serious headaches, she said.

"We think the original headaches triggered from COVID are related to inflammation," she said. "Why they persist in some people and not others, we don't know for sure."

Knievel's post-COVID headache patients have been of all different ages and both men and women, she said. The headaches are in some cases so severe and debilitating that the patients can't sleep at night or function at work, she said.

Patients began showing up in April or May and have continued to seek treatment throughout the pandemic, she said.

"At the beginning it was difficult because not as many people were being tested, so we didn't know for sure if it was related," Knievel said."But we were seeing these patients with new headaches after some viral illness. When testing wasn't as readily available we just had to postulate that it was related to COVID."

Knievel says former COVID-19 patients who are suffering ongoing headaches or worsening migraines should consult a doctor who can offer a proper diagnosis and preventative and rescue treatment. Some patients turn to over-the-counter medicine, which may solve the problem temporarily, but can lead to medication overuse or “rebound” headaches, she said.

-Stephanie Innes

12:45 p.m. Friday: Side effect of vaccine can mimic a sign of breast cancer

Doctors recommend patients schedule their mammogram before receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, or space out the two appointments, after some women have been mistaking swollen lymph nodes for breast lumps.

These swollen lymph nodes, which are a side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine, can also show up in mammograms and other types of imaging scans, experts say. 

“There have been a couple of situations where the patient went for a mammogram and on the mammogram, there it was,” said Dr. Harold Burstein, a breast oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 

Lymph nodes are specialized tissue in the body's immune system that contain white blood cells and help fight against infection and disease, according to the National Cancer Institute. They're normally the size of a lima bean and are all over the body, Burstein said, but the most prominent lymph nodes are located in the armpits, neck and groin area.

The ones located under the armpits are most likely to swell after vaccination because they’re closest to the injection site. They could begin swelling as soon as a few days after vaccination and could last as long as 12 weeks. Additionally, the vaccine shouldn’t create any abnormalities in the breast itself, only under the armpit.

But health experts emphasize this is completely normal as increased inflammation suggests antibodies are at work protecting the body against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. 

“This is a normal immune response to a potent vaccine,” Burstein said. “It’s to be expected. It’s a well-desired consequence of the vaccine.”

— Adrianna Rodriguez 

7 a.m. Friday: Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, which requires just one shot, is on track to become third allowed for use in US

A government advisory committee is likely to give a thumbs up Friday to a third COVID-19 vaccine, paving the way to increase supply of the much-in-demand vaccines.

The new vaccine, from drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, offers a few advantages over the two that have been administered to 45 million Americans since mid-December, although it may be somewhat less effective.

The J&J vaccine requires only one shot; the others, from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, need two. It can be kept refrigerated rather than frozen for longer, making it easier to distribute through doctors' offices and rural outposts. And it may cause fewer side effects.

The advisory panel, called the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, is likely at the end of an all-day meeting to recommend the shot for use in adults. An emergency use authorization from the acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration is anticipated to follow within days. 

Most people will not have a say in which vaccine they get. Allocation decisions are made by individual states, which have generally provided only one type of vaccine at a time to each vaccination center. 

Public health officials say it doesn't matter which vaccine someone receives. 

A third vaccine is "nothing but good news," Anthony Fauci, America's top infectious disease doctor, told NBC's "Today" show early Thursday. "To have two is fine. To have three is absolutely better.”

— Karen Weintraub, USA Today

5:30 p.m. Thursday: Company gives 10,000 masks to police, schools that destroy coronaviruses in minutes

FDA-approved anti-viral masks from Innonix Technologies USA LLC, on display at their warehouse in Chandler on Feb. 25, 2021.

Global biomedical company Innonix Technologies donated thousands of their antiviral face masks they say can destroy pathogens like the novel coronavirus on contact to Valley police departments and public schools, they announced at a Thursday news conference promoting their products.

The RespoKare line of masks is the first of its kind to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration, according to Innonix managing director Kevin MacDonald at their Chandler distribution center Thursday afternoon.

What sets Respokare masks apart is that they do not simply filter out particles, MacDonald said — they also offer active protection by killing viruses. Their patented technology uses four layers, including an outer material that traps airborne pathogens and an inner layer coated with copper and zinc that inactivates them.

The line includes an N95 adult respirator, as well as a flat surgical mask in both adult and child's sizes. 

MacDonald said that it was important to him to promote the masks in Arizona, as the state has been one of the country's COVID-19 hotspots since the onset of the pandemic.

"I'm an Arizona resident, and I think we've been kind of hit hard here," MacDonald said.

As part of their RespoKare launch, MacDonald said that Innonix has donated over 10,000 masks to Valley police departments, low-income senior citizen facilities and in-person elementary schools.

The RespoKare line was approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, an arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that requires a mask filter out at least 95% of particles, and is certified by the FDA to destroy 15 types of influenza and several strains of human coronavirus. There are many types of human coronavirus, including COVID-19 and the one that causes the common cold. 

Designing and testing of the mask began years before the COVID-19 pandemic. Their RespoKare technology received FDA clearance in November 2019, according to MacDonald.

"Most people in America, no one knew anything about a mask a year ago, a year and a half ago, and now we're all kind of experts. So for us, it's a good time to launch in America now, again, when people understand what a good mask is," Macdonald said.

Kevin MacDonald, managing director of Innonix Technologies USA LLC, discusses their FDA-approved anti-viral masks at their warehouse in Chandler on Feb. 25, 2021.

Innonix provided the Phoenix Police Department 8,000 free RespoKare masks, according to Phoenix Police Foundation president Tim Thomas, who spoke at Thursday's press conference.

These masks will be primarily used by patrol officers, Thomas said, who have the most contact with people and often encounter citizens without masks.

"Having these 8,000 masks provides an opportunity for some positive engagement with our officers, to be able to provide somebody that they're encountering that might not have a mask with some protection," Thomas said.

"As we see the trends go down in the right direction, now is the time to step it up, not step it down, so our officers are still masking up all the time."

Tavan Elementary in Phoenix also received donated masks. Julie Ballard, the principal of Tavan Elementary, said that having quality masks will make a big difference for their students and teachers.

Tavan Elementary is a Title 1 school, meaning that a large portion of its student body is considered low income, and has been conducting in-person learning since October.

"We're very glad to have the donation ... and they will be put to good use," Ballard said. 

Innonix's Chandler facility currently holds around 1.8 million masks, which are manufactured in Vietnam and China and distributed through authorized resellers and in Walgreens and Walmart. Plans are underway to open up a manufacturing facility in Arizona by 2021, according to MacDonald.

— Emily Wilder

4:40 p.m. Thursday: Coconino County will begin vaccinating inmates for COVID-19

Inmates at the Coconino County Detention Facility will now be able to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

According to a press release, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office medical staff completed Arizona Department of Health Services training, allowing them to administer vaccinations to inmates.

All inmates at the facility are considered high risk for COVID-19 due to their close proximity to each other. Inmates considered higher risk for reasons like hepatitis, IV drug use, alcohol abuse, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, COPD, HIV and homelessness will receive vaccinations first, the release said.

The vaccine will then be offered to remaining inmates. New inmates brought to the facility will be offered the vaccine after quarantining and testing negative for COVID-19.

The release said all inmates also will receive information about the vaccine, and will be monitored for reactions after vaccination.

Currently, all new arrivals are initially quarantined for 14 days. Those who test negative are placed in the general population, and those who test positive are treated in the medical unit.

According to the release, 180 inmates and 35 detention staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Thursday.  

— Nienke Onneweer

3:25 p.m. Thursday: Arizona approaches 16,000 known COVID-19 deaths

Arizona reported 939 new COVID-19 cases and 121 new known deaths on Thursday as hospitalizations for the disease and percent positivity for tests continued to drop.

Arizona's seven-day new-case average ranked 15th Wednesday among all states, after ranking first and second for much of January, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker.

The state's rate of new positive cases over the past seven days was 21.4 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. New York City was first with 50.5 cases per 100,000. The U.S. average for new cases was 19.7 cases per 100,000 people. 

The state's average daily COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people over the past seven days ranked second in the nation as of Wednesday, per the CDC.

Arizona's newly reported 121 deaths brought the known COVID-19 death count to 15,814. Many of the deaths occurred days or weeks prior, due to reporting delays and death certificate matching.

Hospitalizations for the disease have been dropping for more than six weeks but remain at relatively high levels. 

The number of patients hospitalized in Arizona for known or suspected COVID-19 cases was at 1,385 on Wednesday, down from Tuesday's 1,449 inpatients and far below the record 5,082 inpatients on Jan. 11.

— Alison Steinbach

11 a.m. Thursday: CVS expanding COVID-19 vaccine to 6 more states: Florida, Arizona, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Alabama and Louisiana

Starting Friday, the COVID-19 vaccine will be available in select CVS stores in 17 states.

The drugstore chain announced Wednesday that it is expanding its vaccination rollout to pharmacies in six states: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania. 

CVS started offering the vaccine Feb. 12  in about 350 stores across 11 states: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. CVS says it was administering the vaccine on a limited basis in Ohio using state allocations.

The vaccine is available only at select locations and for eligible populations, which vary state by state. CVS says appointments for its latest allocation of 570,000 doses are now available to book with shots available beginning Friday.

— Kelly Tyko, USA Today

12:30 p.m. Wednesday: Fewer hospital beds occupied as state reports 1,310 cases, 43 deaths

Arizona reported 1,310 new COVID-19 cases and 43 new known deaths Wednesday as metrics like hospitalizations and percent positivity continued to improve.

Arizona's seven-day new-case average ranked 15th Tuesday among all states, after ranking first and second for much of January, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker.

The state's rate of new positive cases over the past seven days was 21.3 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. New York City was first with 50 cases per 100,000. The U.S. average for new cases was 19.3 cases per 100,000 people. 

The state's average daily COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people over the past seven days ranked sixth in the nation as of Tuesday, per the CDC. 

Arizona's newly reported 43 deaths brought the known COVID-19 death count to 15,693. Many of the deaths occurred days or weeks prior, due to reporting delays and death certificate matching.

In slightly more than one year since the first case was announced in Arizona, a total of 811,968 COVID-19 cases have been identified across the state. February has seen relatively lower case reports.

Hospitalizations for the disease have been dropping for about six weeks but remain at relatively high levels. 

— Alison Steinbach

12 p.m. Wednesday: Valley faith leaders receive second dose of vaccine

Several faith leaders around the Valley received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine on Wednesday, three weeks after they publicly got their first shot at First Institutional Baptist Church in Phoenix.

The public vaccinations were part of an effort by clergy to assure their respective congregations about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine.

Arizona Department of Health Services Director Cara Christ administered both doses of the vaccine and on Wednesday said she was “happy to complete the cycle” for the faith leaders who participated.

Christ said that though the state has made “great strides” in its vaccination program, “there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.”

She commended the clergy for their role in getting more people on board with taking the vaccine when it’s their turn.

“Every person who has received the COVID-19 vaccine demonstrates their confidence in the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness, and when that person has a position of influence in our community, especially with underserved populations, that impact is even greater.”

The first faith leader to receive their second dose on Wednesday was The Rev. Dr. Warren H. Stewart, Sr., senior pastor of First Institutional Baptist Church.

“This is like Christmas in February, to get the first and second shots in the same month,” Stewart said during brief remarks offered before Christ administered his vaccine. 

He called it an “example of the intersection between faith and medicine” and said he and other faith leaders were “extremely thankful to God” for the vaccine and those working to distribute it.

Stewart said he didn’t have any side effects or pain after receiving his first shot and that he looked forward to being fully vaccinated.

“Faith leaders, encourage all people — trust God, and get your vaccination shots,” he said.

— BrieAnna Frank

7 a.m. Wednesday: One-dose J&J COVID-19 vaccine meets criteria as safe and effective, FDA report finds

Detailed information on a Johnson & Johnson candidate vaccine for COVID-19 raises no safety concerns, according to a report released early Wednesday.

A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee is holding an all-day meeting Friday to review the data and is likely to give the vaccine a thumbs up, likely leading to an FDA authorization for the vaccine within the next few days.

The J&J vaccine differs from the two already authorized, because only one shot is recommended, instead of two.

The company also is studying a two-dose regimen, which might prove more effective or more durable, in which case people might be encouraged to get a booster shot at some point.

The FDA advisory committee, called the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee or VRBPAC, is expected to sign off on the vaccine because it seems to have met all the criteria for authorization the FDA established last year.

Like the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, the one from J&J held a large clinical trial showing its safety and effectiveness, and the company has proven it can manufacture the vaccine in a safe and consistent manner. 

Once the committee gives its OK to the vaccine, it will be up to the acting FDA commissioner to authorize it, which could happen within just a few days.

— Karen Weintraub, USA Today

6 p.m. Tuesday: Salvation Army and Ford distribute 1.3 million free medical-grade masks across Arizona

With the help of volunteers, the Salvation Army and Ford Motor Co. distributed thousands of medical-grade face masks on Tuesday as part of Ford Mask Donation Day.

The mask distribution effort is part of Ford's #FinishStrong initiative — a call to action encouraging the community to come together and stop the spread of the virus until the vaccine distribution becomes more widely available.  

Masks were distributed at the Salvation Army Southwest Divisional Headquarters in Phoenix, and other select units, as well as Ford dealers in the Valley, Tucson and Sierra Vista. 

"Ford has been a valued community partner of the Salvation Army for many years and has always stepped up to serve the needs of the community, and that's certainly been no different during the pandemic," said Maj. David Yardley, the Salvation Army Metro Phoenix program coordinator. 

Ford and the Salvation Army have worked together to provide more than 1.3 million free medical-grade face masks to communities across the state.

Additional masks are available at Salvation Army units and Family Thrift Stores throughout the state. 

"Ford has been a leader in COVID-19 mitigation efforts since April and one of the first manufacturers to pivot toward making personal protective equipment (PPE)," said Brad Jones, Phoenix regional manager for Ford Motor Co.

Ford hopes to reach its donation goal of producing and donating 120 million medical-grade masks to at-risk communities across the U.S. by mid-2021.

Contact your local Salvation Army for more information about mask distribution.

— Delaney White

Noon Tuesday: AZ adds 1,184 new cases, 148 deaths

Arizona reported a relatively low 1,184 new COVID-19 cases and high 148 new known deaths on Tuesday as hospitalizations for the disease and percent positivity for tests continue to decline. 

Arizona's seven-day new-case average ranked 17th on Monday among all states, after ranking first and second for much of January, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker.

The state's rate of new positive cases over the past seven days was 21 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. New York City was first with 49.6 cases per 100,000. The U.S. average for new cases was 19.4 cases per 100,000 people. 

The state's average daily COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people over the past seven days ranked sixth in the nation as of Monday, per the CDC. 

Arizona's newly reported 148 deaths brought the known COVID-19 death count to 15,650.

In slightly over one year since the first case was announced in Arizona, a total of 810,658 COVID-19 cases have been identified across the state. February has seen relatively lower case reports.

Hospitalizations for the disease have been dropping for about six weeks but remain at relatively high levels. 

— Alison Steinbach 

10:15 a.m. Tuesday: Ducey orders flags lowered to half staff at state buildings to honor those lost to COVID-19

Gov. Doug Ducey ordered flags at all state buildings to be lowered to half staff for five days starting Tuesday to honor the many lives lost across Arizona and the nation to COVID-19, according to a statement on the governor's website.   

Ducey's announcement was in coordination with President Joe Biden's proclamation on Monday.

“As we pull together and continue to work to save lives and fight COVID-19, we also grieve and pray for all the lives we’ve lost in Arizona and across the nation to this disease,” Ducey said, in the statement. “We mourn each and every life lost — loved ones, family, friends, neighbors."

"Every life is precious, and we will continue to work hard to protect more Arizonans and overcome the devastating effects of the pandemic," he continued. "In coordination with the President’s proclamation, I’ve ordered flags at half-staff starting tomorrow to honor the lives lost. Our hearts and our prayers are with all those impacted by COVID-19.”

Arizona reported 148 COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday, bringing the state's known deaths to 15,650. Nationally, the count topped 500,000 on Monday.

Biden held a sunset moment of silence and a candle-lighting ceremony at the White House and ordered American flags lowered at federal buildings for the next five days, The Associated Press reported.

— Mike Cruz

12:30 p.m. Monday: Arizona's Medicaid will cover rides to vaccine appointments

People enrolled in Arizona's Medicaid program will now be able to get free transportation to and from their COVID-19 vaccine appointment, state officials announced Monday.

Medicaid is a government insurance program for low-income people. In Arizona, Medicaid is called the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. It enrolls nearly 30% of the state's population.

AHCCCS officials say that beginning Monday they are reimbursing their contracted driving services for transportation to and from vaccine appointments, including time spent waiting in line during the drive-thru vaccination process. The rides count as "non-emergency medical transportation" and are now a covered expense, agency officials said.

Medicaid beneficiaries who have a scheduled COVID-19 vaccination appointment at a drive-through site in Arizona may contact their health plan to schedule nonemergency transportation to attend that appointment, AHCCCS officials said.

For COVID-19 vaccine information, a map of all COVID-19 vaccination sites and eligibility criteria, visit azhealth.gov/findvaccine. Those without computer access or needing extra help registering can call 1-844-542-8201 to be connected with an operator who can assist. (Note: You can use the online registration system to make an appointment for someone else in a prioritized group, such as someone 65 and older.)

— Stephanie Innes

11 a.m. Monday: The state will take over East Valley COVID-19 vaccine site

A COVID-19 vaccination site in the East Valley operated by Maricopa County and Dignity Health will transition to become a state-run vaccine site, state officials announced Monday.

The vaccination site at Chandler-Gilbert Community College will begin operating as a state-run location on Wednesday, March 3, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced in a joint news release with the Arizona Department of Health Services.

At full capacity, this site will have a similar capacity to State Farm Stadium at 12,000 vaccines per day and will be open 24/7, state officials said, but due to a limited number of vaccines it will initially operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The site will continue to provide the Pfizer vaccine and will be available to provide second doses to individuals who received their first at the site. Appointments for first and second doses will open for registration at 9 a.m. Monday, March 1, according to the news release.

The East Valley site will bring the number of state-operated COVID-19 vaccine sites in Arizona to four. The other three are: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Phoenix Municipal Stadium and the University of Arizona in Tucson. State officials have said they'd like to open additional sites, including one in Yuma, which has been the Arizona county hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re committed to making the COVID-19 vaccine accessible to all Arizonans. Keeping this successful vaccination site open and operating is an important step,” Ducey said of the decision to keep the East Valley site open.

Maricopa County officials had announced on Feb. 18 that the East Valley site, which it operated with Dignity Health, would be closing. 

The plan now is for Dignity Health to close its operations after Feb. 27, and the state health department will reopen it four days later in partnership with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, and Maricopa County Community College District.

“Arizona has proven that the state’s nationally recognized model for these vaccination sites is scalable and transferable to other locations. By combining state resources with the support of partners, we can continue getting more doses into the arms of Arizonans,"  ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ said in the news release.

Information about all the vaccination sites across Arizona is at azhealth.gov/findvaccine.

Those without computer access or needing extra help registering may call 1-844-542-8201 to be connected with an operator who can assist. The patient portal podvaccine.azdhs.gov may be accessed by anyone making an appointment for someone else in a prioritized group, such as someone 65 and older.

— Stephanie Innes