Manager’s Welcome
Hello! Thank you for checking out the first edition of Consumer Health and Food Safety's new electronic newsletter.
Here we will focus on topics specific to the CHFS mission: inspecting and investigating complaints concerning food service establishments, public or semi-public swimming pools, and lodging accommodations; providing food services certification and pool certification classes; and conducting vector and mosquito control activities.
We do all of this to ensure the health, comfort and welfare of everyone in Pima County.
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 Board of Supervisors impose mandatory 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. curfew to help stop COVID spread
The Pima County Board of Supervisors Dec. 15 voted 3-2 to impose a mandatory 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew throughout Pima County in an effort to stop the soaring rate of COVID-19 infections in Pima County.
Since the Board of Supervisors asked County residents to voluntarily adhere to a curfew Nov. 24, more than 15,000 people in the County have tested positive for COVID-19 and 93 have died. The curfew will end when the rate of transmission falls below 100 cases per 100,000 population. The current rate in Pima County is 357 per 100,000.
For more information, see the Dec. 4 Proclamation regarding a state of emergency - Temporary COVID-19 Minimum Health Standards for Businesses Proclamation.
Supervisors mandate mask wearing throughout the County
The Pima County Board of Supervisors at an emergency meeting Dec. 4 took several actions intended to help get better control of the spread of COVID-19 in Pima County. The actions include:
Further mandating the wearing of masks throughout the county and asking all County jurisdictions and law enforcement agencies to assist in enforcement. In its Resolution, the board included a $50 civil fine for failing to adhere to the mask mandate for individuals and a $500 fine for businesses. The board cited success in reducing cases after the board initially made masks mandatory in Pima County during the month of July.
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Businesses must report positive COVID-19 tests of employees
Based on actions taken by the Board of Supervisors on Dec. 4, it is mandatory for businesses to report to the health department a positive COVID-19 test of any employee. In numerous instances, the Health Department has identified outbreaks at businesses only after completing contact-tracing investigations. This action will allow infectious disease investigators to help businesses earlier in an outbreak in order to provide guidance, education, and support to businesses to better protect their staff and the public.
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Food Code changes coming in 2021
The Arizona Department of Health Services this summer updated Title 9, Chapter 8, Article 1 of the Arizona Administrative Code (AAC) to incorporate changes in the Food and Drug Administration’s 2017 revisions of its Food Code. In turn, CHFS staff recently began modifying the Pima County Food Code to reflect the changes made in State code.
Electronic plan submittal required effective Jan. 1
Pima County’s Consumer Health and Food Safety now requires establishments to submit all plan reviews electronically. Paper plans will no longer be accepted.
Electronic submittal will ensure clients a more efficient, user-friendly review process; eliminating additional printing and shipping costs. The new process eliminates the worry of misplaced plans, the resubmittal process is simple and offers quicker turnaround. Approved plans are available onsite for final inspection.
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Food safety really is in your hands
Consumer Health and Food Safety inspectors can’t tell your fortune from your hands, but we can tell you their folds and creases and even their fingerprints are home to hundreds of thousands of microorganisms including bacteria and viruses, which is why medical experts recommend frequent hand-washing and keeping your hands away from your face to prevent infection.
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How to handle COVID-19 exposure in the workplace
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has forced the nation to alter many activities we all once took for granted, even something as simple as dining out with friends. COVID-19’s effects on the economy and culture are best illustrated within the hospitality sector.
To help Pima County establishments navigate the new dynamic, Consumer Health and Food Safety offers guidance on mitigating the spread of the virus in the workplace.
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Arizona offering $1 million to help expand outdoor dining options
Dining establishments in Arizona now may apply for up to $10,000 in funding to expand outdoor seating on their premises. The Arizona Commerce Authority Dec. 7 launched the Safest Outside Restaurant Assistance Program, offering $1 million in grants, on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Fee schedule updated
Food establishments in Pima County will see a slight increase in license fees in the New Year.
The Board of Supervisors this summer rolled back fees to 2019 levels to assist bars and restaurants hit hard by the COVID-19 outbreak. The new fee structure takes effect Jan. 1, 2021. However, we expect the board to reconsider extending the roll back of fees in 2021.
Plan your disinfection strategy
Consumer Health and Food Safety and businesses in Pima County must work together to ensure the public and our economy stay healthy during the current public health emergency.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) offer detailed reopening procedures for businesses to help stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, but CHFS recommends these primary strategies to help establishments meet the County’s COVID-19 Minimum Health Standards for Businesses.
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