FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas saw its highest single-day increase of COVID-19 cases reported on Thanksgiving day. Local health experts are now warning of low infection numbers over the next few days - which could mislead some to think the state made it through the holiday unfazed.
Dr. Marti Sharkey, City Health Director for the City of Fayetteville, says the high number recorded on Thursday actually gives an accurate representation of how prevalent the virus is across the state, with more people getting tested before the holiday. Dr. Sharkey doesn't predict many Arkansans visited local health units after finishing up their Thanksgiving meals.
"Yesterday, probably hardly anybody got tested unless they were really sick," she said. "Today, tomorrow, and Sunday, the testing numbers are going to be way down."
Dr. Sharkey says the daily case count will not accurately depict active infection rates in communities across the state. She's urging people in Arkansas not to get a false sense of reality over the next few days.
“We might be lulled into a little sense of 'oh, Thanksgiving wasn’t that bad the numbers are going down.' And, really, I think it is going to be a reflection of not testing," Dr. Sharkey said. "And then I think by Wednesday or Thursday of next week, we will be starting to get a picture of where we are.”
For anyone who got tested for COVID-19 before visiting family or traveling, the state's top epidemiologist says if you got a negative result, there's still a chance you could have brought COVID to the Thanksgiving dinner table.
"Getting a PCR test in advance does not really mean you do not have the virus - it just means you are not ill with COVID-19 at that point and time,” Dr. Jennifer Dillaha said.
Now that turkey day has come and gone, Dr. Sharkey suggests getting tested five days after travel or exposure before going back to school or work to make sure you do not bring the virus back home after the holiday.
Being the Fayetteville health director, Dr. Sharkey says University of Arkansas students can finish the fall semester online. She urges students to utilize that option to avoid exposing family members at Christmas time.
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