According to the most recent weekly report from the state, the number of COVID-19 cases in Arizona in the last week fell to its lowest level since April.
Till the 8th of October, 2,400 new COVID-19 cases and 49 new deaths, were reported by the health officials. There have been fewer reported cases in recent weeks.
The Recent Guidelines on COVID-19 Vaccination
The COVID-19 vaccine, which is designed to combat both the original coronavirus and the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants, has been approved by the Federal Drug Administration for use in children between the ages of 5 and 11.
The approval for the Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines came early last week. Pediatricians’ offices and pharmacies in the Arizona region will soon carry these vaccines.
To prevent outbreaks of infection, health professionals still advise people to get the updated vaccine. Dr. Ashish Jha, the COVID-19 coordinator for the White House, is also urging people to get immunized by October 31.
What About If You Are Travelling Abroad (E.G: China, Spain)?
You still need to take a COVID-19 test to travel abroad from Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Arizona region. For example, if you are traveling to China, the country reported 1,584 cases per day on average over the past week. From the average two weeks ago, cases have increased by 85%.
On the other hand, if you are traveling to Spain, there were 13,462,593 active COVID cases last reported on 18th October 2022. So, if you are flying from Phoenix, Arizona state, you need a negative result of a rapid RT-PCR COVID test done within 72 hours of your flight.
What are The Current Statistics on COVID in Arizona?
The virus has two contagious subvariants, BA.4 and BA.5, with BA.5 being the more prevalent of the two, and Arizona was experiencing elevated cases, like other states. Given its contagiousness and ability to elude antibodies, it’s also probably causing reinfections.
According to USA TODAY, there were 15,850 COVID-19-related deaths in the United States in August, the highest number in several months.
However, as of October 6, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had classified all 15 Arizona counties as “low” in terms of COVID-19 levels for the third consecutive week. No counties were classified as “high,” at which point the CDC advises people to cover their faces when inside and in public.
The CDC still reports state hospitalization data for Arizona, which showed a 0.7% increase in the seven-day average of COVID-19 hospital admissions during Oct. 3-9 compared to Sept. 26-Oct. 2.
In August, unvaccinated people aged 5 and older had an 18-fold higher risk of hospitalization and a 28-fold higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than those who were up to date on their vaccination. According to the state’s August analysis, unvaccinated people were 7.2 times more likely to be hospitalized and nine times more likely to die from COVID-19 than people who were vaccinated but not up to date.
Conclusion
If you live anywhere in Phoenix, Scottsdale, or Arizona region, you still need a shield against the Novel Coronavirus. Therefore, the CDC advises you to get an RT-PCR test done whenever you are traveling internationally. Book your slot with Affordable Rapid Testing at your nearest lab.
