Arkansas state parks will open their RV grounds to in-state residents with self contained RVs May 1, Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Sec. of Heritage, Parks and Tourism Stacy Hurst announced at Tuesday’s briefing.
The re-opening was announced along with a May 15 target date to open visitor centers, parks restaurants, museums and exhibits, gift shops, marinas and rental equipment as part of phase one of “re-opening” the state.
“Arkansans love their state parks and we know that because we track visitation,” Hurst said. “We want to invite residents back into parks.”
Hurst said the plan to gradually lift restrictions for state parks was reviewed and approved by Sec. of Health Dr. Nate Smith before being approved by the governor.
She said bathhouses will remain closed, and staff and visitors should continue to maintain a safe social distance between each other. Check-in and -out for campground night-use will also be contactless. Reservations will only be accepted for Friday through Monday to allow for appropriate sanitation between rentals.
Hurst said the open use of cabins, lodges and rental facilities also has a target re-opening date of May 15. Full information will be available on the department’s website.
“If measures become problematic or dangerous, we will certainly reexamine these measures and make new recommendations to the governor,” Hurst said.
In response to a reporter’s questions, Hutchinson and Hurst said out-of-state travelers who attempt to reserve an area for camping will be sent a cancellation email, and park rangers will enforce social distancing and encourage guidelines set by the CDC and Arkansas Department of Health.
Hutchinson and Smith also announced the state is up 94 cases from Monday bringing the cumulative case number to 3,111 with 1,913 active.
Smith said there are 104 hospitalizations, 20 on ventilators, 52 deaths and 1,146 recovered.
He said 30 people have donated their plasma for their antibodies to be used in those with serious cases of COVID-19. He said 13 patients have received one or two units. He said there are ongoing clinical trials at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science.
There are also 208 cases related to nursing homes and 115 staff members with the virus.
He said there are also 860 inmates with COVID-19 and 51 staff members that have it at the Cummins Unit. There are 87 inmates at the Federal Correctional Institute in Forrest City and 12 staff positive for the virus.
Hutchinson said 2% of the state’s population will have been tested in May and that we’re “right around the corner.” According to the ADH, the state has tested 40,629 people for the virus as of Tuesday afternoon.
The governor also said the White House has assured him Arkansas will receive supplies when they need it to meet that 2% threshold, per his conversation with President Donald Trump Monday.
Local numbers
According to the ADH, there are 38 positive cases of COVID-19 in Union County with 247 negative tests and 20 recoveries.