Governor Ducey announced that $115 million will go towards the three public universities in Arizona for their ongoing effort to combat the spread of COVID-19. $46 million will be going to Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, while $23 million will be going to Northern Arizona University.

“Our universities continue to go the extra mile to fight the spread of COVID-19, protect our communities, and ensure students’ needs are met,” Ducey said.

Governor Ducey also issued an executive order to expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine by expanding distribution and adding vaccine sites. This is giving high risk Arizonans the chance to be vaccinated.

“Any delay in shots being given to Arizonans is unacceptable. The development of the vaccine was called Operation Warp Speed, and the distribution of the vaccine should follow that same urgency,” Ducey said.

Arizona was in the top five states for job growth before the pandemic hit and remains there today. In order to stay in the top five, Governor Ducey is committed to lowering taxes to ensure small businesses keep more of their money.

“My goal has been to make Arizona the best place in America to live, work, and do business – by letting Arizonans keep more of their hard earned money,” Ducey said

Governor Ducey has stayed committed to a very little amount of time in lockdowns throughout the pandemic. He fears the fallout of the lockdowns more than the troubles of the virus. Governor Ducey believes people still have responsibilities and businesses to run.

“Why not more aggressive lockdowns? Schools, businesses, parks, weddings, funerals, church services – why not ban all gatherings and just lock everything down?” Ducey said. “It’s a question that only makes sense if you forget about everything else – all the other troubles that lockdowns set in motion. The rest of life doesn’t stop in a pandemic, least of all our basic responsibilities,”

Governor Ducey is also very eager to keep students in school. Governor Ducey believes that the safest place for students to be is in school rather than at home. Since children are at a lower risk when it comes to COVID-19, he believes it is better for their social and emotional well-being to go back to school in person.

“Across our state, students have been kept out of their classrooms for long enough.  They’ve lost out on childhood experiences that can’t be duplicated on a computer screen.  In strange, difficult circumstances, parents and teachers have done their resourceful best.  But it’s time to get our students back where they belong,” Ducey said. “With every public-health professional, from Dr. Fauci and the CDC on down, saying that the safest place for kids to be is in school, we will not be funding empty seats or allowing schools to remain in a perpetual state of closure.”