Arizona officially surpassed 16,000 deaths yesteday from COVID-19 complications since the start of the pandemic. State officials earlier this morning reported 1,284 new cases and 29 recent deaths related to the virus — bringing the statewide total to 16,089 deaths.
Ducey Receives First COVID-19 Vaccine Dose
Governor Doug Ducey on Tuesday received a first dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement comes as the state opened vaccination eligibility to people 55 and older. Ducey, who is 56, received the vaccine at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale; he acknowledged the vaccine as “safe, effective and free.”
Ducey joins more than 1.2 million people who have received at least one dose of vaccine so far throughout the state, according to the Department of Health Services. ADHS estimates 17.3% of the state’s population has been partially or fully vaccinated. NPR’s Vaccine Tracker ranks Arizona as having the 14th highest population percentage of vaccinated residents in the country.