Covid vaccinations increasing steadily

The Arkansas Department of Health reports 844,783 vaccine doses given statewide, with 298,535 individuals fully immunized and 546,200 individuals who have received at least one dose as of March 14.

The vaccination plan remains in phase 1-B, focused on vaccinating people over the age of 70, as well as teachers, school staff, childcare and higher education workers, according to the ADH.

The previous phase, 1-A, focused on healthcare workers, long-term care residents, EMS and first responders, including police and firefighters.

Information can be found on the department’s website at www.healthy. arkansas.gov.

The next phase, 1-C, will reportedly focus on people over the age of 65 and those between 16-64 years of age with high-risk medical conditions, as well as workers in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, housing, IT and communications, media, public safety, public health and energy.

The ADH also reports 21,005 total cases and 290 deaths in Benton County, as well as 22,711 cases and 244 deaths in nearby Washington County as of March 14.

While this represents a narrow increase over the previous week’s numbers — 20,684 and 22,420, respectively — testing has been reduced in Arkansas according to the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, a Little Rock-based health policy center that was previously reporting covid case numbers by city.

According to a statement on the organization’s website, the decision was made to stop reporting local infection numbers to avoid misrepresenting infection risk.

Over the state line, the McDonald County Health Department reports 2,471 total cases in the county, 31 deaths and 4,084 vaccinations as of March 13.

Nationwide, the CDC reports 29,229,162 total covid-19 cases, 455,251 in the previous week and 531,766 deaths as of March 14.

A mask mandate remains in effect, though Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced that while the emergency order is being extended another 30 days, the state’s covid-19 directives will now be considered guidance which will not carry penalties for businesses or individuals.

Additionally, the governor stated that the mask mandate will be ended March 31 if the state meets its target of fewer than 10% of individuals testing positive on a rolling seven-day average with an average of 7,500 people tested daily.

Hospitalizations will also be a consideration in whether to lift the mask mandate, he said.

Arkansans need to continue wearing masks, washing their hands and practicing social distancing, the governor said.