Authorities call for vaccination as COVID continues to spread statewide

A Union County resident died this week from a COVID-19 infection, the first to do so since May 31.

The county also recorded 14 new cases between Friday, June 2 and Friday, June 9, six more than those reported in the seven days before that period.

The seven-day positivity rate in the county was 9.7% from June 2-9.

Statewide, 4,883 new cases of COVID were reported in the seven-day period and 35 Arkansans died from the virus. The seven-day positivity rate was 15.3%.

Due to the increase in the number of cases statewide, the Medical Center of South Arkansas updated its visitor policy on Friday, limiting visits to one visitor per patient per day for inpatients, a visitor assigned per patient for the duration of their stay. for those in the Women’s Center and in the emergency room and to suspend visits entirely for those in the intensive care unit or receiving outpatient care, unless special circumstances allow it.

There were three COVID-19 patients at MCSA on Friday, said Alexandria Bennett, director of business development.

“It is so important that people get vaccinated. We encourage all members of the community to get vaccinated, ”Bennett said. “Know that it is safe and effective.

A vaccination clinic is scheduled this week in El Dorado, Thursday, July 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the New Olive Branch Baptist Church at 1548 N. Roselawn Ave. The University of Arkansas COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination Clinic for Medical Sciences offers the Pfizer vaccine, which has been approved for use in all people over 12 years of age.

COVID vaccines are available free to everyone, including those without health insurance.

Vaccines for COVID-19 are also available in Union County at Melvin’s Discount Pharmacy, Walmart, and the local Union County Health Department. To schedule a vaccination appointment with Melvin, call 870-863-4155; for Walmart, visit walmart.com/COVID; and for the local health unit, call 1-800-985-6030.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson highlighted the state’s low vaccination rate this week, noting in his weekly COVID address that only Bradley County has been able to vaccinate more than half of its population against the virus. .

The governor previously set a goal for every county in the state to have half of its population immune by July 31. As of Friday, 26.3% of the Union County population was fully immune to the virus, meaning they had received & Johnson or both doses of one of two vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna, respectively.

“Our state vaccination rate is lower than the national rate, and although we have a million people fully vaccinated in Arkansas, it is not high enough to prevent more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths.” , Hutchinson said. “As we win this battle in April… we are losing ground in July.”

Hutchinson also noted that hospitalizations caused by COVID were on the rise. On Tuesday, the total number of Arkansans hospitalized with the virus increased by 55, to return to winter 2020 levels.

“This is the biggest increase in hospitalizations since we have the vaccination available to prevent hospitalizations,” Hutchinson said. “Hospitalizations obviously tell a story.

The average age of Arkansans hospitalized with the virus has dropped from 63 in November 2020 to 54 in May 2021. The average age of Arkansans who die as a result has dropped from 78 in November to 66 in May.

“The older age groups are getting vaccinated and being protected, and there we have a gap that we need to close,” Hutchinson said.

He also mentioned the Delta COVID variant, which now accounts for 7.2% of all Arkansas virus samples sequenced for the variants, of which 1,177 were performed. The Delta variant is known to be more transmissible and lead to worse health outcomes than the original COVID virus.

Hutchinson showed how the Delta variant has grown over the past two months, almost exponentially.

“The good news is that the vaccine is effective for all of these variants, including the Delta variant. It has a high level of effectiveness in preventing the actions of the Delta variant even though it (the variant) is more transmissible and riskier in terms of health outcomes, ”he said.

Hutchinson called on employers to give their workers paid time off to get vaccinated and also said the state would work with employers to make vaccines available to their workforce where possible.

“We don’t impose anything; we are asking for help through the employer community, ”he said.

He also announced an initiative he is taking to visit communities across the state to talk to the Arkansans about COVID vaccines.

“We want to hear from the Arkansans on what’s going on in your community,” he said. “The goal is to engage our communities locally and say what more we can do to overcome hesitations and address community questions and to encourage vaccinations so that we can increase the rate here in Arkansas for beat the most recent Delta variant. that the vaccine can treat.

Arkansas Department of Health Secretary Dr Jose Romero said the Delta variant is 30 to 50 times more transmissible than the first COVID virus variant to be discovered, known as the UK variant.

He said it was important for all Arkansans to be fully immunized, including those who opt for a two-dose vaccine.

“Unless you have received the full immunization doses… if you don’t have the full immunization panel, you are only protected at 30%, instead of the higher rates,” he said. he declares. “All vaccines to date have been shown to (be) protective against serious illnesses – that is, illnesses that cause death – and the majority of hospitalizations. “

He also noted that even children get the Delta variant and said the only way to protect those under 12, who are not eligible for vaccination, is to get vaccinated.

“The only way to protect them is to immunize yourself and have a cocoon around them that doesn’t allow the virus to reach them,” Romero said.

Danyelle McNeill, spokesperson for ADH, also said the department was monitoring “revolutionary cases”, where people vaccinated against the virus contract COVID; the number of revolutionary cases identified in Arkansas, however, was not available at press time on Saturday.

According to the ADH, between five and 20 cases of COVID variants have been identified in Union County.

For more information on COVID-19 or COVID vaccines, visit healthy.arkansas.gov or cdc.gov.