Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday announced he would limit restaurant service and close bars, theaters and gyms in counties with confirmed cases of COVID-19, stepping up Arizona's efforts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

The directive will take effect upon close of business Friday.

It applies to at least six Arizona counties: Maricopa, which had 22 cases as of Thursday; Pinal, which had 10; Pima, which had seven; Navajo, which had three; Coconino, which had two; and Graham, which also had one.

Santa Cruz and Yavapai counties also indicated they each had a positive case, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had not confirmed the results as of Thursday evening.

The Republican leader also:

Called on the National Guard to help grocery stores and food banks restock shelves to protect food supplies. Stores have faced "unprecedented demand," and food banks don't have enough volunteers.

Halted all elective surgeries "to free up medical resources and maintain the capacity for hospitals and providers to continue offering vital services."

Delayed expiration dates for Arizona drivers licenses, so that residents who are 65 or older don't need to wait in line at state offices to renew them.

Authorized restaurants to deliver alcoholic beverages with food, and allowed manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to buy back unopened products from restaurants, bars and clubs.

“These latest actions are based on the facts and on data, and come after careful consultation with public health experts from every county in Arizona, our hospitals, local elected officials, and private sector partners," Ducey said in a statement.

"They reflect guidance from the CDC and the latest recommendations from our Department of Health Services, while going even further to bolster our efforts with additional manpower and resources."

It was unclear how long the measures would remain in effect.

Ducey: 'All-in' on COVID-19 fight

The governor had faced mounting pressure to take more aggressive containment measures in recent days.

Ducey had said he wanted to balance "taking this very seriously" with "not being alarmist." But certain lawmakers and constituents slammed him for moving too slowly and putting Arizonans' safety at risk, with Democratic U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema saying that "delaying action leads to more loss of life."

By the time Ducey announced Sunday that he would shutter schools for two weeks, about 45 districts had already decided to close.

His recommendation that same day to postpone or cancel events with more than 50 people came after about 10 other governors had banned large gatherings.

And when it came to shuttering bars and eliminating dine-in service at restaurants, the mayors of Phoenix, Tempe, Tucson, Flagstaff, Cave Creek and Tolleson took matters into their own hands ahead of Ducey's Thursday announcements.

"For every moment of inaction, we will pay the price with the lives of residents," Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said via Twitter on Wednesday. "Decisions must be centered around one goal — stopping the spread of the virus."

In sharing new directives Thursday, the governor insisted he was "all-in" on the fight against COVID-19.

"We are determined to take all necessary precautions to address this outbreak and will continue to act with urgency to protect public health," he said.

Good for public health, bad for business

James Hodge, a public health law professor at Arizona State University, said measures implemented by city and state leaders have so far been on steady legal ground — unlike the "shelter in place" orders seen in other states, which he said raise due process, equal protection and freedom of movement concerns.

He deemed statewide policies to enforce social distancing efforts more effective than a patchwork of city declarations.

“You gotta shut it down completely if you really want to have that impact,” he said.

The restrictions announced Thursday are expected to extend to all Arizona counties as testing expands and more COVID-19 cases are confirmed.

And while public health experts say they're essential to slowing the spread of the virus, the closures are sure to send economic shockwaves through the state. Even before Ducey made his Thursday announcement, officials predicted jobless claims in Arizona would soar.

Jonathan Buford, cofounder of Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co., said his company believes the governor is "doing the right thing" and "employees' safety comes first."

The company already had shifted its Phoenix and Gilbert restaurants to takeout-only Tuesday.

It has since done business through Uber Eats, and its newly launched beer-delivery service also is doing well, Buford said.

But he still had to send 120 out of his 170 employees home this week. The company is offering workers who aren't currently needed a daily meal and four-pack of beer for pickup, he said.

Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, acknowledged it's "economically painful to close or dramatically reduce the services of a critical sector of Arizona’s economy."

But he said the governor did what was necessary to protect hospitals from a huge influx in patients.

“What the governor did struck the right balance and helps the state deal with a situation that I believe is (Hurricane) Katrina times 100,” Hamer said, acknowledging the “leadership of mayors like Kate Gallego and looked at what their city needed to do and took action."

He said Ducey's decision to allow restaurants to deliver alcohol with food would help those businesses capture as much revenue as possible during a difficult time.

“I’m personally happy so I can order in burgers and beer,” he said. “We want to make things as normal as possible.”

How to get help

Workers laid off from restaurants or other businesses due to the pandemic may qualify for jobless benefits if they were dismissed "through no fault of their own." Arizona calculates weekly benefits based on wages earned from employers who paid unemployment tax to the state, with a current maximum of $240 a week.

If you've lost your job due to the coronavirus pandemic, you can apply for benefits at www.azui.com or by calling 602-542-5954 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Business owners struggling to make ends meet amid the crisis got a small lifeline Thursday from the U.S. Small Business Administration, which is offering "economic injury disaster loans" of as much as $2 million to companies across the state.

To apply for the SBA loans online at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela, by calling 800-659-2955 or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing should call 800-877-8339.

Republic reporter Rachel Leingang contributed to this article.

Reach the reporter at maria.polletta@arizonarepublic.com or 602-653-6807. Follow her on Twitter @mpolletta.

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