Covid-19 cases on rise in state

Officals urging residents to take vaccinations, practice virus safety

Coronavirus patients in hospitals have steadly increased since Monday according to the Arkansas Department of Health’s website.

Local officials are still urging residents to participate in vaccination clinics being held in the area or make appointments to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Forrest City Mayor Cedric Williams said he is thankful for local turn out at current clinics.

“I am overjoyed by the number of people who made the decision to get vaccinated,” said Williams of the clinic that happened at the Forrest City Civic Center today. “I’m especially grateful for the young people that made the right decision.”

“I hope and pray that this increased trend in vaccinations continues especially as our children go back to school,” said Williams.

St. Francis County Judge Gary Hughes has also been working closely with the St. Francis County Health Department to bring smaller clinics to the county.

"We are working with the health department, trying to identify communities that may not have had a vaccination clinic in their area,” said Hughes.

Hughes said he hopes the clinics would help those in the rural areas of the county have better access to the vaccination.

"We have a lot of towns that are covered for vaccinations due to having a pharmacy in that town or in that community," said Hughes. "But, those who don't already have a way to get a vaccinization that community, we are going to try and get the health department to go out to those communities so they'll have more access to get a vaccine.

"We want to make sure everybody has an opportunity to do that," added Hughes.

The next two of the county’s clinics is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 16 Wheatley and Windener.

For Wheatley, the clinic will be at the Wheatley civic center on 211 8th Street from 1 until 3 p.m.

For Widener, the clinic will be held at the Widener community center at 104 E. Main Street from 9 until 11 a.m.

The number of coronavirus patients in hospitals is currently 1,446 with 296 being currently on ventilators.

The state death toll from the virus, as tracked by the Department of Health rose by 20, to 6,366.

The ADH website posted Wednesday also that vaccinations were recommend for pregnant people.

The Center of Disease Control and Prevention listed vaccinations were recommended for all people over the age of 12 including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now or might become pregnant in the future stating that pregnant people were more likely to get severely ill with the virus compared with non-pregnant people.