Gov. Asa Hutchinson brought his “Community COVID Conversations” event to Mountain Home Monday, holding an hour-long town hall-style event inside the Vada Sheid Community Development Center on the campus of Arkansas State University-Mountain Home.
The governor is also scheduled to hold similar events in Dumas, Heber Springs and Siloam Springs later this week to promote COVID-19 vaccinations and answer vaccination questions the public might have.
Counties across the Twin Lakes Area have some of the lowest vaccination percentages in the state. In Baxter County, 36% of those ages 18 and older are fully vaccinated, with another 6.7% partially immunized. The numbers are even worse for Stone, Searcy, Izard, Marion and Fulton counties, which each have vaccination rates in the low 30s to mid 20s.
Hutchinson says the state cannot make residents get vaccinated.
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Vermont currently leads all states with 77% percent of the population being vaccinated., followed closely by Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine and Rhode Island.
The governor said he has a goal for the state to have half its population vaccinated by July 30.
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Hutchinson said he was concerned about the state’s vaccination rate and would like to see the state’s number of immunized residents improve before school starts.
Monday’s event at The Shied drew a crowd of about 85 people. After his opening remarks, Hutchinson fielded questions from the floor for about 40 minutes. A group of about 25 anti-vaccination protesters cheered the governor several times when he mentioned that he did not believe in mandatory mask mandates, then jeered him several times when he mentioned the safety and effectiveness of the COVID vaccines.
Hutchinson said the question of when the COVID vaccines currently being used would receive official approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The vaccines are currently being used under an FDA emergency use authorization.
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State law currently prohibits school districts from requiring that all students wear face masks. The governor said he planned to begin talks this week with legislators about possibly allowing each district to make its own decision on face coverings.
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Hutchinson says because of the COVID pandemic the future is uncertain, but Arkansans should follow the science.
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The governor said he hoped those hesitant about receiving the vaccine would learn from other families’ experiences with having loved ones die or be hospitalized from the illness. Those with questions should consult with their physician or a trusted healthcare provider to have those concerns addressed.
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