COVID-19 cases in Arkansas are rising, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said on Tuesday as he urged more Arkansans to get vaccinated.
There were 1,044 new COVID-19 cases identified in Arkansas on Tuesday, "which is the highest number we've had since September," Hutchinson said during his weekly COVID update.
"Now, if I'm the optimist -- which I usually am -- that could be an accumulation of some slow days over the holidays that we hit this high water mark on this day, and they might not be that high later in the week," he said. "If you're looking at it more, perhaps, realistically, or based upon additional data, the fact that our positivity rate has creeped up to 9.1% raises a concern that the trend line for the positivity rate indicates that we are trending upward."
Pediatric COVID cases
Arkansas Secretary of Health Dr. Jose Romero noted that nearly a third of the new cases seen in Arkansas have been in children and young adults 5 to 18 years old.
"Thirty percent of the new cases are occurring in the 5 to 18 year old group, and we have vaccines for that group," Romero said. "It's important that parents realize that this virus does affect children, it can have long-term consequences and that vaccines are available and we're encouraging them to get their children vaccinated."
According to a report on COVID-19 cases in schools produced by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) on Monday, both the Smackover-Norphlet and El Dorado school districts returned from Thanksgiving break with some active cases among staff and students.
As of Monday, according to the report, there were eight active cases in the Smackover-Norphlet School District and five active cases in the El Dorado School District. So far this school year, 66 cases have been identified within the SNSD, including 53 in students and seven in staff; and 140 cases have been identified within the ESD, including 103 in students and 25 in staff.
The ESD re-instated a mask mandate for students, staff, faculty and visitors on Monday, citing an increase in the seven-day COVID positivity rate in Union County. On Tuesday, the seven-day positivity rate in the county was 16.7%, based on COVID data from the ADH.
Variant and vaccines
Hutchinson also noted the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant which is being called the "omicron" variant.
According to the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the omicron variant was classified as a "Variant of Concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Nov. 26 after it was reported to the organization by the South African government.
No omicron variant cases had been identified in the U.S. as of Tuesday, according to the CDC.
However, Romero said the ADH will be surveilling COVID cases for the new variant as it has with other variants of concern since the first began to emerge earlier this year.
"We haven't seen that in our communities, but we are looking for it," he said.
According to a report on variants of concern in Arkansas produced by the ADH on Nov. 27, the delta variant is by far the most prevalent found in the Natural State, accounting for 91% of infections in the 9,747 samples tested last week.
Hutchinson said that not a lot of data about the omicron variant was available by Tuesday; however, he said he is in close communication with Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, about the new variant.
"There's a good line of communication with the White House on this," he said. "The key questions to ask and to get more information on this (are): how contagious is omicron, this new variant? Secondly, how severe is the disease, and is it more severe than what we have now, or will it be less severe? And thirdly, do vaccines and other therapeutics, are they effective with this variant?"
"We don't have the data for that yet," he continued. "Hopefully by next Tuesday we have more data and more answers."
Hutchinson highlighted the wide gap in infection, hospitalization and death rates between those who are unvaccinated against COVID and those who have taken the vaccine. According to ADH data, 85.9% of new COVID-19 cases are in unvaccinated people; 87.9% of new hospitalizations are in unvaccinated people; and 85.9% of deaths caused by COVID are in unvaccinated people.
"Primarily, the new cases that we have, the new hospitalizations we have, the deaths we have are in those who are unvaccinated," Hutchinson said on Tuesday. "It is important that we stick with our strategy in Arkansas, which is let's get as many vaccinated as we can. That is the best protection. ... If you want to minimize the risk of hospitalization, just simply get vaccinated."
Romero also noted that pregnant women and women who are considering becoming pregnant are eligible for vaccination against COVID.
"There's a lot of misinformation about the safety of the vaccine in that population. The vaccine is safe and effective. Pregnant women, women who are thinking about becoming pregnant should consider this vaccine for themselves," he said.
As of Tuesday, 1.7 million Arkansans were partially or fully immunized. Hutchinson said that of the 12,969 vaccine doses reportedly administered between Monday and Tuesday, about 4,000 were first doses, accounting for about 40% of the total. He said about 20% were second doses and the other 40% were third doses, or booster shots.
"That is what Arkansas is about; as we get more concerned, as we see a threat, we take greater action," he said.
However, he warned that with Tuesday's large increase in cases, as well as a positivity rate that's been trending up, the state could be in for a fourth surge in cases.
"If I was a pessimist, I'd say that by the end of the week, we could be over 10% in our positivity rate and our cases could be trending up again," he said. "So let's take all the action we can to avoid that and to protect ourselves in the event that does occur."
Where to get vaccinated
Vaccines against the COVID-19 virus are available for free to everyone five years of age or older. One doesn't need health insurance to get vaccinated.
Three vaccines have been approved for use in the U.S. Johnson & Johnson has developed a one-dose vaccine, while Pfizer and Moderna have developed two-dose vaccines that take about a month and a half to become fully effective.
Moderna and Johnson & Johnson's vaccines have been approved for use in people 18 and older. Pfizer's vaccine is approved for use in people 12 and older, and a smaller dose version has been approved for use in children 5 to 11 years old.
According to the ADH, COVID vaccinations are available at the following locations in Union County:
- I Can Nursing, LLC: 267 Union Rd. 81, Mount Holly; 870-315-5921
- Walmart: 2730 N. West Ave., El Dorado; 870-862-4866
- Brookshire Pharmacy #48: 2202 N. West Ave., El Dorado; 870-864-0107
- Genoa Healthcare: 715 N. College Ave. Ste. P1, El Dorado; 870-639-6227
- South Arkansas Womens Clinic, PLC: 706 W. Grove St., El Dorado; 870-863-8444
- Medical Center of South Arkansas: 700 W. Grove St., El Dorado; 870-863-2000
- Walgreen Co.: 701 W. Grove St., El Dorado; 870-881-8434
- South Arkansas Dialysis: 620 W. Grove St., El Dorado; 870-862-8788
- CSS Healthcare, LLC: 205 W. Faulkner St., El Dorado; 870-639-3910
- Dr. Ray Pediatrics: 403 W. Oak Ste. 201, El Dorado; 870-862-8221
- Brookshire Pharmacy #40: 220 S. West Ave., El Dorado; 870-863-7996
- Melvins Discount Pharmacy, 828 W. Hillsboro, El Dorado; 870-863-4155
- SAMA Healthcare Services: 600 S. Timberlane, El Dorado; 870-862-2400
- Access Medical Clinic El Dorado: 2280 E. Main St., El Dorado; 870-444-5216
- Union County Health Unit: 301 American Rd., El Dorado; 870-863-5101
- Clean Harbors: 309 American Rd., 870-863-7173
- Life Touch Hospice: 2301 Champagnolle Rd., El Dorado; 870-862-0337
- Strong Clinic: 253 S. Concord, Strong; 870-797-7620