TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Department of Health Services Director Dr. Cara Christ and State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Hoffman spoke to the media Monday afternoon amid rising COVID-19 numbers in the state and across the country.
The state is not mandating schools close their campuses again as COVID cases spike in our state, but education and health officials are asking everyone to do their part to slow the spread.
It's still up to each district to decide if students will learn online, in-person or through hybrid.
Superintendent Kathy Hoffman is urging Arizonans to practice public health, so districts are not forced to close.
Hoffman said "Doctor Christ and our public health officials have been telling us for weeks for several weeks that we are experiencing a new spike in COVID-19. Without serious changes, from us as adults, the decisions -- making daily choices about the virus' path -- we cannot expect these numbers to head in safe direction."
The state is launching a new campaign called "Healthy Kids, Open Schools."
The campaign will provide parents and schools resources to use to prevent COVID-19 transmission.
Gov. Doug Ducey did not participate in Monday's news conference.
While Arizona's daily case numbers have been rising rapidly in recent weeks, hospitalization numbers have increased more slowly, data from the AZDHS shows.
