No mandatory masks for Prescott Valley, Chino Valley
Prescott not yet determined

Prescott Valley and Chino Valley governments have no plans to make wearing masks mandatory.

Following recent increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in other parts of Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey has announced that local governments may implement mandatory mask and face-covering policies and determine enforcement measures.

Prescott Valley Mayor Kell Palguta, citing a 97.4% negative test rate in Yavapai County for COVID-19, and an ongoing low number of hospitalizations, said the town will continue with what it has been doing — encouraging personal responsibility in best practices to avoid infection.

This includes strongly suggesting that residents wear masks when they cannot properly social distance, such as in stores and crowded areas, engage in proper sanitation measures and stay home when ill, according to a news release.

“We do not want to paint Prescott Valley with the same broad brush as the rest of Arizona,” Palguta said. “What we’re doing here is working. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the situation moving forward, as we have from the beginning of March. We appreciate the governor recognizing that this is a local issue.”

Chino Valley Mayor Darryl Croft’s response was similar: “Arizona has a wide variety of communities and we applaud Gov. (Doug) Ducey for allowing municipalities to set guidelines that best serve our individual cities and towns.

“What is best for Phoenix and other metro areas is not necessarily the best for smaller, rural communities.”

Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli did not respond to attempts to reach him for comments Wednesday. John Heiney, Prescott Community Outreach manager, said the city has not determined whether it will make changes or not.

Palguta urged residents who are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 because of age or underlying health conditions to use added caution to include staying at home if they desire.

Croft added that while the town will not mandate the wearing of face masks at this time, “we encourage the citizens of Chino Valley to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. We urge all to practice social distancing, wear face masks when in public, avoid large gatherings, and wash hands and use hand sanitizer when soap and water isn’t readily available.”

In the end, “please use common sense by limiting exposure, limiting interaction with the public, and if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, have been exposed to illness, or suffer from a compromised immune system or other contributing, pre-existing conditions, please stay home,” a news release from the Town of Chino Valley states.

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