In response to Executive Order 2020-17 (Continuity Of Work) and Administrative Order 2020-01 (Emergency Measures for COVID-19), the Arizona Board of Respiratory Care (“Board”) implements the following, effective immediately:

CURRENT LICENSE HOLDERS

LICENSE RENEWAL EXTENSION

1.         Pursuant to Executive Order 2020-17 (Continuity of Work), all licenses set to expire between March 1, 2020 and September 1, 2020 may be extended by six months if necessary.  The Board will email updated wallet card(s) at least 30 days prior to the current expiration as permitted.

2.         These extended license(s) will be eligible for renewal 60 days prior to the new expiration date.

LIVE CONTINUING EDUCATION WAIVER

1.         Pursuant to Executive Order 2020-17 (Continuity of Work), the requirements specified in A.A.C. R4-45-208 pertaining to live continuing education hours shall be deferred until such time as Executive Order 2020-17 is revised or repealed.

CURRENT OR FUTURE APPLICANTS FOR LICENSURE

NBRC EXAMINATION WAIVER

1.         Pursuant to Executive Order 2020-17 (Continuity of Work), new graduates that are unable to obtain their NBRC RRT credential because the testing centers are closed shall be granted a 6 month temporary license if all other license application requirements are satisfied.  The temporary license will be suspended 20 days after in-person testing sites reopen, or the examinations become available electronically. The Board waives the requirements of A.A.C. R4-45-203 (A) & (B). This waiver shall remain in place until such time as Executive Order 2020-17 is revised or repealed.

RRT CREDENTIAL MANDATE WAIVER

1.         In accordance with Administrative Order 2020-01 (Emergency Measures for COVID-19), the condition under R4-45-205 (3) which requires out of state applicant(s) to hold or have held a RRT Credential or equivalent competency examination is waived. This waiver shall remain in place until such time as the Governor’s Declaration of Emergency is terminated or the applicant/license obtains permanent licensure.

OUT-OF-STATE LICENSE HOLDER TEMPORARY LICENSE

1.         In accordance with Administrative Order 2020-01 (Emergency Measures for COVID-19), out of State license holders (Current & Active) may be granted a 6 month temporary (provisional) license if all other licensing and application requirements are satisfied. This temporary provision shall remain in place until such time as the Governor’s Declaration of Emergency is terminated.

RETIRED OR INACTIVE LICENSE HOLDERS WITH EXPIRED A LICENSE

RENEWAL OF EXPIRED LICENSE

In accordance with Administrative Order 2020-01 (Emergency Measures for COVID-19), the late renewal requirements identified in A.R.S. 32-3525 and A.A.C. R4-45-207 pertaining to the time frame(s) allowed to renew an expired license are waived.  The Board may issue a temporary 6 month license to those individuals that held a license that expired over 90 days ago but not more than ten years ago. This waiver shall remain in place until such time as the Governor’s Declaration of Emergency is terminated.

Statewide registration is available for "The Arizona Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (AZ-ESAR-VHP)," local "Medical Reserve Corps Units," "General Volunteers," and/or additional "Specialty Teams."

More Information here: https://esar-vhp.health.azdhs.gov/

Update on COVID-19

The World Health Organization made an announcement Feb. 11 that the official name for the illness caused by the new coronavirus (previously known as 2019 Novel Coronavirus or 2019-nCoV) is now COVID-19.

The Arizona Department of Health Services has been closely monitoring COVID-19 on an international, national, and local level. Mitigating the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that can cause symptoms ranging from mild cold-like illness to severe pneumonia, is a high priority. While only one case has been reported in Arizona in an individual who has since recovered, we expect more cases will occur here in the future. In order to best protect Arizonans, we all must work together to be responsive to this evolving situation.  See updated information from AZDHS here: https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectio...

For the best available information regarding COVID-19, please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html.

• CDC–COVID-19
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html.
• CDC–Symptoms and Diagnosis
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/about/symptoms.html.
• CDC–Situation Summary
  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html.
• WHO–COVID-19
  https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019