By Howard Fischer
Twitter: @azcapmedia

PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey said Thursday evening he is weighing additional measures to help curb the spread of COVID-19.

But during an hour-long televised forum, the governor sidestepped repeated questions about what else he has in mind.

Checkpoints to enforce his stay-at-home order?

“We have a list of things that are possible,” Ducey said.

Forcible quarantine of people arriving here from other states with outbreaks?

“We’re doing the testing so that we have the proper surveillance so we can make decisions and get people the care that they need inside the healthcare system,” the governor responded.

People who don’t listen to his stay-at-home order?

“In a declaration of emergency there are an incredible amount of tools and authorities that are granted a governor,” Ducey responded. “And I will use every tool in the toolbox and escalate as necessary to navigate Arizona through this.”

The governor also declined to predict how long the COVID-19 outbreak will last or how long restrictions might be necessary.

“Anybody who tells you that they know when this is guessing,” he said. “And they don’t know.”

What Ducey says he does know is what are his plans for this month and next.

“Right now, I’m looking out 60 days,” he said, as that is likely to be when there will be a “surge” in both people contracting the virus as well as hospitalizations.

“That’s what we’re going to be prepared for,” the governor continued. “I’m confident we’ll be prepared for anything beyond that.”

The governor separately defended his decision to include beauty parlors and nail salons in his week-old list of “essential” businesses that his own subsequent stay-at-home order allows to remain open and precludes cities from shutting them down themselves.

The actual executive order doesn't specifically name salons and barbershops as essential “personal services.” But the news release announcing the action does, and bars cities from ordering them closed to stop virus spread.

“We’re trying to slow the spread of the virus in this country,” Ducey said. And he said the best way to do that is to break up large gatherings.

But co-host Ted Simons of KAET-TV questioned the wisdom of saying that it’s OK to have someone styling hair, being right next to a patron, even if there are just two of them.

“How in the world do they keep the recommended social distancing?” he asked the governor.

“We focused on shutting down as much as we could to slow that spread,” Ducey responded.

And then on Friday, April 3, Mr. Ducey and his office announced  the following services shall cease operations no later than 5 p.m. April 4, as they cannot comply with guidelines required in paragraph 11 of Executive Order 2020-18, directing Arizonans to Stay Home, Stay Healthy, and Stay Connected:

• Barbers 
• Cosmetology, Hairstyling, Nail Salons and Aesthetic Salons 
• Tanning salons
• Tattoo parlors
• Spas
• Massage parlors

In addition, the following services should also cease operations by 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4:

• Amenities at public parks that do not allow for recommended physical distancing or proper hygiene such as basketball courts, splash pads, playgrounds and public restrooms but public parks shall remain open to the greatest extent possible.
• Communal pools such as those at hotels, condominiums, apartment complexes and parks, however, these should still be maintained under environmental and public health rules and guidelines.
• Swap meets

Ducey declined to take a position on whether Arizonans should wear masks, whether surgical grade or simply something else to provide some protection against virus-carrying droplets being spread.

“If the Centers for Disease Control says to wear masks, you should wear masks,” he said. “If there’s federal guidance to wear masks, we’ll put that directive out there.”

But for the time being, Ducey said, the masks should be reserved for medical personnel and first responders.

“I’ve stayed within the guidance of the CDC and not guessed on what directives I should put forward,” he said.

State Health Director Cara Christ, also part of the hour-long town hall, said the CDC is reviewing the current guidance on the use of masks following reports that people are getting infected — and spreading the virus — two days before they show symptoms.

“So if you wear the mask you might be able to prevent speaking or sneezing or coughing,” she said.

But there’s a downside, Christ warned.

“It also puts you at risk when you’re touching your face and bringing it down and potentially having that false sense of security,” she said.