Arizona COVID-19 Cases At 1,598 With 32 Deaths

PHOENIX – Arizona health officials reported 1,598 cases of COVID-19 in Arizona, and 32 deaths, as of April 2. According to the Arizona Department of Health Services, 22,709 tests for COVID-19 have been completed in public and private labs in Arizona and the results of 21,278 tests were negative.

* As per ADHS

Also on April 2, Governor Doug Ducey issued an Executive Order that provides a solution by allowing pharmacists to dispense emergency refills of maintenance medications for a 90-day supply and an additional 90-day supply if needed. Under the order, Arizonans would be able to receive a refill on their medication for up to 180 days, while avoiding the trip to the doctor.

Under the order, the Board of Pharmacy will:

Allow pharmacists to dispense emergency refills of maintenance medications for a 90-day supply and an additional 90-day supply if needed;

Waive certain electronic prescribing requirements;

Extend the requirement for a prescriber to deliver a follow-up paper prescription to the pharmacy from seven days to 15 days;

Allow a phone-in prescription to be sent to the pharmacy via fax, scan, or photo as long as the original, hard copy prescription is kept by the prescriber;

Waive certain hospital prescribing labeling restrictions for multidose medications;

Allow pharmacists to interchange therapeutically equivalent medications of the same FDA drug classification unless the prescriber has noted that the medication shall be dispensed as written;

Waive the requirement for companies producing hand sanitizer to be permitted;

And allow an Arizona pharmacy to receive pharmaceuticals from an unpermitted wholesaler, third-party logistics provider, or manufacturer located in another state or country to alleviate pharmaceutical shortages.

The Executive Order also outlines new requirements when filling hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine; including limiting the prescription to a 14-day supply, requiring that a prescription must be presented with a diagnosis code for COVID-19 from the prescriber, and more.

Last week, Governor Ducey issued an Executive Order requiring health care insurance companies to expand telemedicine coverage for all services that would normally be covered for an in-person visit. This action helps ensure that Arizonans who may be sick or under quarantine can access care from their homes and avoid potentially risky trips to a health care provider.