Health Emergency Declaration extended to Feb. 28

The public health emergency governing Arkansas’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been extended for an additional 60 days. That was the announcement made by Gov. Asa Hutchinson during his weekly COVID-19 Taskforce update Tuesday afternoon. The emergency status was scheduled to expire Dec. 30 but will now continue through the end of February.
Hutchinson also reported on the dire situation facing Arkansas hospitals and their capacity in the midst of the pandemic. He said only around five percent of ICU beds in the state are unoccupied and only a fifth of general hospital beds.

Concerning the vaccine process, Governor Hutchinson said nearly half of the Pfizer vaccine doses received by the state so far have been administered to healthcare workers. That, he added, has increased morale among those workers in the state. In addition the state is beginning to receive quantities of the Moderna vaccine.