Ducey renews ban on jab mandates by state, local governments

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has extended an executive order prohibiting state and local governments from requiring people to be vaccinated for COVID-19. The prohibition includes an exception for hospitals and other licensed health care institutions. It’s a small part of a nine-page order signed Wednesday that largely deals with surveillance and monitoring of health care institutions during the pandemic. Ducey in August issued an executive order barring the state and local governments from requiring vaccines, based on an existing public health law. Universities and a few local governments later ordered employees to be vaccinated. Arizona on Friday reported nearly 3,700 additional virus cases and 143 more deaths.