She testifies in gym closure lawsuit
By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via Arizona Capitol Times
The state’s top health official acknowledged that she and Gov. Doug Ducey are ignoring some Arizona-specific recommendations from the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
At a court hearing Monday, Dr. Cara Christ agreed that the latest report from the task force says the state should require masks of all individuals. Instead, the governor, after specifically refusing to issue a mask order — and even barring cities and counties from imposing their own — finally left that decision to local officials.
That same report also says Arizona should limit indoor dining to less than 25 percent normal capacity. But Ducey is allowing restaurants to serve up to half of the regular seating.
What makes all that relevant is that Christ testified that she and Ducey decided to keep gyms and fitness centers closed based on those same task force recommendations — recommendations that, in this case, they decided to follow.