Patrons at a bar packed the entire space, as if the pandemic had suddenly dissipated. This despite the news that the state is one of the growing coronavirus hotspots in the country.
Arizona was one of the first states to reopen but the impact of the virus is everywhere in Tempe as some businesses are still shut down.
Charles Gbekia wasn’t wearing a face covering as he headed into a busy bar.
“It’s just going to kind of get worse until we do something about it,” he told CNN.
When asked why he wasn’t wearing a mask, he replied, “I think masks are good, but they act as a placebo. I have family personally lost to coronavirus, so like, I should be wearing a mask, but not when I’m out with my friends.”
Phoenix has ordered residents to wear masks, one of more than a dozen cities across the state to announce local mask ordinances.
Ducey said he would not order a state mandate, instead leaving it up to local governments.
Emergency room physician Dr. Murtaza Akhter, who has been treating Covid patients daily in the ER, is one of the doctors who signed the letter to Ducey.
“The governor of our state is saying I’m going let the mayors decide. I mean, the mayors could potentially say, ‘I’m going to let the neighborhoods decide,’ and as you can imagine, that breaks down pretty quickly,” he said.
Akhter is upset with the people out and about who aren’t wearing a mask.
“To tell the whole world that basically I’m a social Darwinist if you die, I don’t care, I just want my beer and burger is, is really … I mean even kindergarteners have more empathy for other people. It’s really upsetting,” he said.
While Trump will be subject to the city’s new mask ordinance, a source in the city of Phoenix told CNN it’s unlikely he or rally attendees would be ticketed if they fail to wear a mask, adding that the goal of the ordinance is education and only the worst repeat offenders would be ticketed.