Governor: Nearly 13,000 health workers have received vaccine
During his weekly COVID-19 update in a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced that 12,969 healthcare workers statewide have received vaccines since distribution began.
“At this present time, our focus has been on our healthcare workers,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson also said allocations for next week have been received for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The state will be receiving 23,400 new Pfizer doses, in addition to what will be shipped for second doses to those who have already received the first dose.
There will be 17,700 doses of Moderna, which will go to pharmacies for long-term care residents.
“This is all great news,” he said. “I know everybody is asking the question, ‘When is my turn? When will we, as an essential worker, be able to do it?’ Dr. (Jose) Romero and his team are working very diligently with Dr. (Jennifer) Dillaha on making sure we have it just right in terms of our priorities and who will be in category 1B or 1C. We want to make sure we hear from everybody as we finalize those priorities.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website, these are the following phases, when it comes to vaccine distribution.
■ Phase 1a: the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that priority be given to healthcare personnel; long-term care facility residents.
■ Phase 1b: frontline essential workers; persons aged 75+.
■ Phase 1c: persons ages 65-74; persons ages 16-64 with high-risk conditions; essential workers not included in Phase 1b.
■ Phase 2: all people 16+ not in Phase 1, who are recommended for vaccination.
Arkansas is still in Phase 1a.
Hutchinson reported 43 new deaths and 1,941 new cases of COVID in the state. There are 25 new hospitalizations, bringing the total active hospitalizations to 1,103 patients. There are currently 173 patients on ventilators.