LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — During his COVID-19 update on Tuesday, Aug. 3, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson continued to press the Republican-led Legislature to amend a law preventing local school districts from enacting mask mandates as COVID-19 cases surge.
Arkansas lawmakers approved Hutchinson's request to declare a public health emergency just hours before his Tuesday press conference. The governor last Thursday made the declaration citing the huge increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases since June and the strain they are putting on health facilities across the state. Among other things, the emergency declaration allows the state to ease the licensure process for retired nurses and doctors coming back to work.
On Monday, Arkansas saw its highest number of newly hospitalized COVID patients. The Northwest Arkansas Council says that hospitals in the region are currently caring for more people in their COVID wards than they have since the start of the pandemic. On Tuesday Hutchinson said the state reported 2,343 new COVID cases, 16 more deaths, and an additional 30 people hospitalized due to the virus.
August 3, 2021, COVID-19 Case Report (all data confirmed through ADH):
- Total Cases: 391,623 (+2,343)
- Total Active Cases: 19,499 (+577)
- Total Deaths: 6,215 (+16)
- Hospitalized: 1,250 (+30) 260 on ventilators (+10)
- Eligible Arkansans Fully Vaccinated: 1,076,733 (+14,046) 42.11% of the population
On Wednesday, Arkansas lawmakers will vote on amending Act 1002, a law prohibiting local municipalities and schools from enacting mask mandates. Hutchinson called on lawmakers to reconsider the ban on school mask mandates since children under 12 not being eligible to get COVID-19 vaccines. He says there are no plans to vote to overturn the ban on local governments from mandating face coverings in public spaces.
"Our cases were at a low point, but everything has changed now," Gov. Hutchinson said Tuesday. "Yes, in hindsight I wish that had not become law, but it is the law, and the only chance we have is to amend it or for the courts to say it has an unconstitutional foundation."
According to Dr. Romero, MD Secretary of Health, there has been a 690% increase in COVID-19 cases among children ages 12 and under who are ineligible to receive the vaccine.
"Among children who are less than 18 years of age that were hospitalized in July, 58% were less than 12 years of age," Romero said. "I think these numbers bring out a very sobering aspect of the pandemic of our state."
Hutchinson will also ask lawmakers to affirm the decision of the director of Arkansas Workforce Services to terminate Araksnas' participation in federal unemployment benefits after a lawsuit was filed against the governor for ending the aid early.
Keep up with the latest information about Wednesday's special session by visiting the 5NEWS website, app and social media pages.
You can watch Tuesday's full update from Gov. Hutchinson below.