On Thursday, July 29th, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson reinstated a public health emergency and called for a special legislative session as covid cases surge across state. Under the emergency declaration, Governor Hutchinson provided special exemptions to increase workforce available to provide critical care to health care patients as hospitals and health care providers address a flood of new patients suffering from Covid 19. In addition, the governor urged the legislature to convene next week to consider amending Act 1002, which limited the abilitiies for local government entities and school boards from establishing health safety measures such as masks for students.
The number of Covid new positive cases announced was 2,843 for the last 24 hour time period and hospitalization numbers have reached levels not seen since the previous peak in December. The governor continued his plea for Arkansans to get vaccinated against the virus.
More below:
https://twitter.com/5NEWS/status/1420818744192946180?s=20
https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jul/30/governor-reinstates-emergency/?news-arkansas