Former Health Dept. Chief raps COVID response

Says Gov. Ducey should speed up test results

HEALTH DEPARTMENT -- FOR SIXYEARS -- SAYS THE GOVERNORNEEDS TO DO MORE -- TO STOPTHE SPREAD.

AND A PIMA COUNTYLEADER -- AGREES WITH HIM.NINE ON YOUR SIDE'S CRAIGSMITH HAS THE STORY.(1:34-1:46)GOVERNOR DUCEY CONCEDED THESURGE IN COVID CASES SINCE HEEASED RESTRICTIONS IN MAY HASBEEN TOUGH.

HE ANNOUNCEDPROGRAMS TO CHANNEL MORERESOURCES TO HOSPITALS,INCREASE TESTING AND HOLDRESTAURANTS TO HALF THEIRNORMAL INDOOR CAPACITY.

AND HESAYS HE SEES SOME SIGNS THERISE IS BEGINNING TO LEVELOFF.

BUT SOME LOCAL LEADERSSAY THE VIRUS SURGE CALLS FORMORE OF A CLAMP-DOWN.

IN ATELEPHONE NEWS CONFERENCE PIMASUPERVISORS CHAIR RAMONVALADEZ SAYS TWO WEEKS AGOPIMA COUNTY JUMPED FROM 277NEW CASES PER WEEK TO MORETHAN 23 HUNDRED.

2:49 THAT ISA WAKE UP CALL FOR EVERYONE INARIZONA, EVERYONE IN PIMACOUNTY EXCEPT APPARENTLY OURGOVERNOR WHO SIMPLY DOESN'TGET IT.

2:55 WILL HUMBLE LEDARIZONA'S HEALTH DEPARTMENTFROM 2009 TO 2015.

HE SAYS THEGOVERNOR MADE GOOD DECISIONSEARLY IN THE OUTBREAK BUT RE-OPENING IN MID- MAY---ANDOPENING WIDE---LED PEOPLE TOBEHAVE IN WAYS THAT BALLOONEDCASE COUNTS SO HIGH THAT TOFIND BED SPACE ARIZONA'S HADTO SHUFFLE PATIENTS BETWEENHOSPITALS AND SOMETIMES MOVETHEM OUT OF STATE.

HUMBLE SAYSHOSPITALS NEED MORE SPACE,STAFF AND SUPPLIES, AND NEEDNOT JUST MORE TESTS, BUT MUCHFASTER TEST RESULTS.

5:03 THECONTACT TRACING FOLKS GET THEDATA, 8, 9, 10 DAYS AFTER THESPECIMEN WAS COLLECTED SOTHEY'VE ALREADY EXPOSED THEIRCO WORKERS AND ROOMMATES ANDFAMILY MEMBERS, AND THECONTACT TRACING IS DONE AFTERTHE FACT, WHEN IT CAN'T BEEFFECTIVE." 5:20 RUNS:17 BUTIN HIS NEWS CONFERENCE THISWEEK GOVERNOR DUCEY RECOGNIZEDTHE CRITICISM AND SAID HE'SLOOKING OUT FOR ARIZONANS, NOTACTING TO PLEASE THE PRESS ORTO PLAY POLITICS.

15:19:15"I'VE TALKED ABOUT PROTECTINGLIVES AND PROTECTINGLIVELIHOODS AND WHEN IN DOUBTWE WILL ERR ON THE SIDE OFPROTECTING LIVES." 15:19:32CRAIG SMITH, KGUN9 ON YOURSIDESINCE THE BEGINNING OF THISPANDEMIC -- 14 TUCSON