Arkansas governor implores people to get vaccinated as COVID-19 cases rise in state

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) on Saturday implored residents to get vaccinated as COVID-19 cases rise in the state.

“The overwhelming majority of COVID patients in the hospital have not been vaccinated. These vaccines are effective, but we need more Arkansans to get the shot,” Hutchinson tweeted.

The overwhelming majority of COVID patients in the hospital have not been vaccinated. These vaccines are effective, but we need more Arkansans to get the shot. Beginning this week, @ADHPIO will not publish COVID data on the weekends, but it will be available on Monday. pic.twitter.com/4ICmUDRFr1

— Gov. Asa Hutchinson (@AsaHutchinson) June 25, 2021

Arkansas is rated fifth in new COVID-19 cases among U.S. states, as it saw a 51 percent increase in cases over the past two weeks, data from Johns Hopkins University showed, according to The Associated Press.

Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser, has warned of local surges in areas where there are low vaccination rates.

Arkansas has only 34 percent of its residents fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A recent Associated Press analysis showed that the majority of those who are dying or being hospitalized from COVID-19 are unvaccinated.

Only 0.8 percent of deaths in May across the country from COVID-19 were among fully vaccinated individuals, and just 0.1 percent of hospitalizations came from such people.

Along with the request for residents to get vaccinated, Hutchinson said the state will no longer publish coronavirus updates on the weekend. 

“Beginning this week, @ADHPIO will not publish COVID data on the weekends, but it will be available on Monday,” he said.