Friday, April 16, 2021

Southern AZ COVID-19 AM Roundup for Friday, April 16: UA vax pod opening up 7K appointments today; Pima County Superior Court is resuming trials; Here’s how to set up vaccine appointments, COVID tests

Posted By on Fri, Apr 16, 2021 at 8:41 AM

With 845 new cases reported today, the total number of Arizona’s confirmed novel coronavirus cases rose past 852,000 as of Friday, April 16, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Pima County, which reduced the total number of cases by 31 today, has seen 113,998 of the state’s 852,570 confirmed cases.

With 30 new deaths reported this morning, a total of 17,153 Arizonans have died after contracting COVID-19, including 2,378 deaths in Pima County, according to the April 16 report.

A total of 569 coronavirus patients were in the hospital as of April 15. That’s roughly 11% of the number hospitalized at the peak of the winter surge, which reached 5,082 on Jan. 12. The summer peak was 3,517, which was set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent lowest number of hospitalized COVID patients was 468, set on Sept. 27, 2020.

A total of 893 people visited emergency rooms with COVID-like symptoms on April 15. That number represents 38% of the record high of 2,341 set on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020. That number had peaked during the summer wave at 2,008 on July 7, 2020; it hit a subsequent low of 653 on Sept. 28, 2020.

A total of 154 COVID-19 patients were in intensive care unit beds on April 15, which roughly 13% of the record 1,183 ICU patients set on Jan. 11. The summer’s record number of patients in ICU beds was 970, set on July 13, 2020. The subsequent low was 114 on Sept. 22, 2020.

Pima County resumes jury trials

Pima County courts resumed jury trials this week after nearly a year-long hiatus, county officials announced Thursday.



“We’re excited to end the moratorium on jury trials in Pima County,” said Presiding Judge Kyle A. Bryson, citing a decrease in COVID-19 cases and an increased availability of the vaccine.

With new COVID-19 protocols, the courts are ready to welcome back jurors. Jurors will be seated throughout the courtroom with a wide use of plexiglass, and given a trial package with a notepad, mask and hand sanitizer.

“We remain devoted to the principle of maintaining a safe environment for court users and staff while providing access to justice for the citizens of Pima County,” said Bryson. “Like litigants, attorneys, victims, and defendants, we have keenly awaited the time that trials can proceed while still protecting the health and safety of all who enter our court buildings.”

Potential jurors will receive questionnaires in advance that may be submitted online or through the mail. They will also have the opportunity to complete a separate form to address any COVID-19 related concerns.

The courts are not requiring vaccination or asking about a community member’s vaccination status, but those visiting the courthouses will be asked to wear a mask, have their temperatures checked, and follow social distancing guidelines.

For information about jury service in Pima County visit https://www.sc.pima.gov/jurors/ or call 520.724.4222.

UA vax pod opening 7K appointments today; Pima County transitioning to indoor vaccination sites, closing Banner South drive-thru clinic next month

The state of Arizona will open 7,000 first-dose vaccine appointments today. The appointments are for next week and officials expect more appointments to open every day, so they urged those 16 and older who are interested in an appointment to regularly check podvaccine.azdhs.gov.

Meanwhile, as temperatures rise, Pima County officials are shifting to indoor vaccination sites to avoid making staff and volunteers endure long days in triple-degree temperatures.

Pima County opened a new indoor vaccine site this week at the Kino Event Center, where the county had earlier been doing COVID testing. That site is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Register at azdhs.gov.

The county has also opened an indoor vaccination POD at El Pueblo Center, 101 W. Irvington Road, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

The county is working with TMC to move their drive-thru POD to a walk-through site at the Udall Center at Udall Park, 7200 E. Tanque Verde Road, beginning April 19. Appointments can be made through register.vaccine.pima.gov.

The drive-through POD at Banner-South Kino Stadium, 2500 E. Ajo Way, will offer appointments between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. beginning April 17 and will close permanently on May 14.

As of Friday, April 16, 369,494 people in Pima County had received at least one shot of the virus, accounting for 35.4% of the population. A total of 254,254 people were fully vaccinated.

Anyone 16 and older is now eligible for vaccination at Pima County or state PODs.

You can register for your vaccine appointments at a state POD by visiting pod vaccine.azdhs.gov, and those who need assistance can call 1-844-542-8201.

Register for an appointment at a Pima County POD at pima.gov/covid19vaccineregistration or by calling 520-222-0119.

Many local pharmacies are now receiving vaccine doses. To find one near you, visit the ADHS website.

Get tested: Pima County has free COVID testing

Pima County is continuing to offer a number of testing centers and pop-up testing sites around town, including the northside Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road. Schedule an appointment at pima.gov/covid19testing.

The University of Arizona’s antibody testing can determine if you have had COVID and now have antibodies. To sign up for testing, visit https://covid19antibodytesting.arizona.edu/home.


—with additional reporting from Austin Counts, Christina Duran, Jeff Gardner and Mike Truelsen