Sedona AZ (June 25, 2020) – To continue to limit the spread of COVID-19, city of Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarty issued a Proclamation of Emergency that beginning Thursday, June 25, 2020, all persons five years of age and older must wear a face covering in public where physical distancing is not practiced. This is important as Sedona, surrounding communities and the state of Arizona see a surge of positive cases of COVID-19 and the percentage of positive cases out of the total tested.
Moriarty’s proclamation comes the day after a Sedona City Council meeting where the majority of City Councilors expressed support for such a proclamation.
A face covering is defined as a cloth or other soft or permeable material that covers the nose, mouth and surrounding areas of the lower face. Examples include a bandana, homemade fabric covering or common surgical mask.
Examples of public places include grocery and retails stores, pharmacies, health care facilities, restaurants, bars, gyms and outdoor spaces where people congregate.
Examples of exceptions to not being required to wear a face covering include, but are not limited to:
- Any person who cannot wear a face covering because of a medical condition.
- Restaurant patrons while they are eating or drinking.
- Settings where it is not practical or feasible to wear a face covering such as when receiving dental services or while swimming.
- While exercising outdoors when physical distancing is maintained.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey issued an Executive Order on June 17, 2020 stating, among other things, that cities have the authority to enact face covering mandates in their communities.
Law enforcement will follow Ducey’s direction in that they will first focus on educating the public and when possible, having face coverings to hand out. Continued failure to comply is a misdemeanor. “We’d prefer not to have to issue a citation. The goal is to educate and gain compliance through understanding,” said Sedona Police Chief Charles Husted.
“I’m concerned about the rising COVID-19 cases, and specifically the acceleration of community spread in Arizona. We are not talking about protecting ourselves, but rather others: wearing a face covering does not protect you, it protects others from infection by you. It is a small inconvenience to benefit everyone’s safety and slow the spread,” said Moriarty.
The proclamation is in effect until further notice.
More information
Read the full Proclamation here. For questions, read this FAQ or email questions@sedonaaz.gov.
The city of Sedona reminds residents that in addition to wearing face coverings like detailed above, remember to wash your hands, adhere to physical distancing and stay home if sick. To learn more information on the city’s response to COVID-19, and what resources are available for the community and businesses, go to www.sedonaaz.gov/covid19.
Health resources
Look to the following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and county resources for more information on COVID-19:
- Coconino County Health and Human Services COVID-19 hotline: 928-679-7300 and website.
- Yavapai County Health Services hotline: 928-442-5103 and website.
- Statewide hotline on all COVID-19-related issues: dial 211.
- CDC website on coronavirus and info on face coverings.
- Tips on coronavirus prevention and 10 ways to manage respiratory symptoms at home.
- Arizona Department of Health and Human Services information.
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8 Comments
I would like to thank the City Council
for thinking about the safety of local
Citizens —- Our town is filled with visitors
From many places——this will give us one
line of defense—Thanks Mayor and Councilors
People are Stupid. Mandatory wearing of mask. Anytime you are outside of your home. Except for…swimming, eating out with/ rules, Driving, medical, ect. I told people that if people continue to take matters into there own hands we will surpass over 200,000 deaths. Thats right where we are headed. So ur lonely…buy a dog. Cant see my boy or girlfriend…wha, wha. Get over it, baby! Familys are in the same ole boat like you. So stop crying. This is not going to go away. We are stuck with it. Something new in your life you’ll have to learn to live with. If you dont want to abide by the Covid-19 laws then get out of my United States. Go live on a boat in the ocean. Find a vacant Island. Dig a deep hole. I dont give a shit. Vanish. Do us all a favor. From spmeone whos in it for the LONG haul !!
Whatever your stance on the purpose, effectiveness, and safety of face masks and the legality of mandating their use in public, sources can be found in support and in dispute of every possible viewpoint. That’s the blessing/curse of the Internet.
We will never all agree, but the current reality is a face covering mandate. We can each decide for ourselves how to react and move forward. I choose to wear a mask and try to make the best of it, someone else may choose to protest the assault on their personal freedom. My only hope is that we can get through this without turning on each other.
Maybe years from now when we look back at 2020 it will be clear (no 20/20 pun intended) what we got right and what we got wrong. Maybe we can learn something and do a better job handling the next crisis. Maybe we can come to some consensus and try to work together. And maybe monkeys will fly out of my … Hopefully they will be wearing masks.
Diana, you are correct – masking is now real. Your choice to wear them is a right decision and humane. Unlike the protesting scum living among us who because of deranged and self centered reasoning spread the disease as they endanger vulnerable residents to contagion by the virus.
These twits think their personal comfort outweighs another person’s well being and possibly even their life..
Yes, even your flying monkeys are far more worthwhile citizens and have functioning brains to bat. Can we arrange an even exchange – one monkey for each scumbag ?
The mayor and council made a difficult but right decision.
John
My correction as it was not the council but only her highness , Sandy, who ordered masking in Sedona. Vote was 1 to 0 !!!!
Now we have another brewhaha in place to debate and amuse ourselves.
John Roberts
“People should not be walking around wearing masks. Masks do not provide the protection people think they do.” Guess where this quote originated? If you said Dr. Fauci, the “prestigious” director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984, you guessed right! I agree with that position. Why has he altered his position? With 36 years experience, he should have been right the first time and he was! It did not fit the narrative which was to instill fear in the masses and to crash the economy. Yes, this is unfortunately very political and it does not matter which side you identify with. Yes, the virus is real and has been a life changer. Most do not have symptoms and the numbers are up due to extreme testing. It has been in my family, but we do not fall for the psychological injection of fear to control the behavior of the masses. Let’s protect the most vulnerable, who should not be out in the general population. The rest of us will provide herd immunity which is what we naturally do with the multiple viruses our immune systems battle every single minute! Sterilizing your environment now will only deplete your immune system to make you more susceptible to the nasty fall and winter viruses. Also, eat well and have a regimen to maintain an optimal immune response. It is your responsibility, not the governments! Be well.
Rich, What is and where have you found a drink which you are taking which causes you to blindly follow doctor Trumpy Dumpy so precisely ? You are lucky the virus hasn’t put you away as yet. Wake up, BOY.
John
Rich , rereading your post I do find some agreement with you. Maintain a strong and reactive immune system as it may in the end of researching rank with the guidelines from CDC in importance to curb the virus spread. Also, it’s using good common sense for those susceptible to catching the disease to stay safe, away from crowds. Yes this issue is political. And it certainly is an individuals responsibility to heed CDC warnings the government issues.
However the rise in numbers from excessive testing is solely campaigning for votes, a “crock” from the dummy in the White House. As to Fauci, on masking, the truth was that at that time a mask shortage was omnipresent so he wanted that supply to be amply available for doctors and nurses.
Herd immunity only works if enough of us survive. Masking primarily is to protect others from the virus so that along with 6 feet, washing hands and wearing masks is an all out program hopefully to stop COVID-19..
So it occurs to me that you are more a centrist thinker. Maybe we can share drinking that juice I suggested.
John