(Central Plaza) — Republicans at the Arizona and federal level plan to consider COVID-19 responses at all levels of government in a new commission.

On Friday, the Arizona Senate announced the Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee, which will begin in mid-May. The committee is chaired by Senator Janae Schump and vice-chaired by Senator TJ Shope.

According to the statement, the goal is to “assess protocols and overall public health guidance, incentives to fund healthcare facilities, fraud against families, businesses, workers and industries, and potential preventative protections.” Additionally, the group plans to produce a report to the state legislature by the end of next year.

“The pandemic has been a heartbreaking time for so many people on many levels,” Schamp said in a statement. “I lost my job as a perioperative nurse because I refused to administer an experimental vaccine, which has caused serious side effects in many otherwise healthy individuals. We know about COVID-19, and we are determined to take responsibility for the injustices we have experienced.”

State Rep. Steve Montenegro, Republican Avondale, Congressman Andy Biggs, Paul Gosser and Eli Crane will join the committee.

The first two meetings will be held at the State Capitol on May 25 and 26, with more scheduled at a later date.

Arizona has arguably been less stringent in its handling of the coronavirus pandemic than its more liberal counterparts at the state level, but places like Pima County have taken tougher measures in 2020 and beyond. I was.

The committee will also consider “possible legal remedies” for government actions that may have had a detrimental effect throughout the pandemic.

Action was launched in March 2020 to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, but the national emergency will end this year 4 as President Joe Biden signed into law the bill first introduced by House Republicans. It didn’t officially end until the beginning of the month.

The Centers for Disease Control believes more than 1.1 million deaths nationwide are due to COVID-19. Of those, more than 33,000 died in Arizona, according to his April 26 data from the Arizona Department of Health.

As measures such as school and office closures dominate the United States, impacts ranging from lost student learning to mental health impacts are still being assessed.