Just a day after Texas and much of California re-ordered bars and nightclubs to close, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey did the same. It also included water parks, gyms and cinemas. Additionally, Ducey said the closings would continue for at least the next month.
In May, Ducey indicated that theaters could reopen on May 15. But on Monday, with some hospitals in the state close to 90 percent of capacity, it retracted.
“We must have clear eyes,” Ducey tweeted. “The next few weeks will be difficult. But these steps combined with greater compliance with the public health guide can make a difference, and we are grateful to Arizonans for their cooperation. ”
Ducey also banned the events of more than 50 people and implored her constituents to stay home over the weekend of July 4.
Arizona has been one of the most affected states in the American West. California has been slowing to reopen in critical areas of the state as its test positivity rate reaches 5.5 percent, with 9.0 percent in Los Angeles. Arizona, by comparison, had a 9.6 percent positivity rate as of Monday.
The exhibition business has been financially affected with theaters closed since March. The domino of summer theatrical release times dropped again last week, with Warner Bros. moving Christopher Nolan Beginning again. This time, the box office hit went from Friday, July 31 to Wednesday, August 12.
