Vaccinations increasing steadily

The Arkansas Department of Health reports that 384,031 individuals have been fully immunized against covid-19 state-wide and 339,502 are partially immunized as of March 27.

This is an increase in fully immunized individuals of 61,528, or 16%, compared to the previous week.

The department reports that 1,992,880 vaccine doses have been received or allocated statewide and of those, 1,082,207 have been administered.

The state is currently in phase 1-C of its vaccination effort, which is focused on individuals aged 16 to 64 with health conditions that increase their risk from covid-19, people in highrisk settings like student housing or group homes and essential workers in a wide array of fields, including energy, shelter and housing, transportation and logistics, public safety, public health, information technology, food service, legal and media.

Previous phases focused on individuals over 70, education workers, emergency workers and health care workers.

Information can be found on the department’s website at www.healthy.arkansas.gov, and the department has set up a vaccination call-line at 1-800985-6030.

The health department reports 21,194 total confirmed covid-19 cases in Benton County with 299 deaths and 20,757 recoveries as of March 28.

In nearby Washington County, the department reports 22,894 total cases, 245 deaths and 22,530 recoveries.

Across the state line, the McDonald County Health Department reports 2,551 total covid-19 cases as of March 26, two cases new that day. According to the report, the county has seen 32 covid deaths and 2,479 patients have been released from care.

The department reports 4,696 vaccinations as well.

Nationwide, the CDC reports 30,038,363 total covid-19 cases and 546,144 deaths.

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.

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.