LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson pressed forward with efforts to allow schools to mandate face masks as the state’s COVID-19 cases continue to surge. That’s despite heavy opposition from fellow Republicans.
On Tuesday, Hutchinson called the majority-GOP Legislature back into session to revise the law he signed in April prohibiting mask mandates by schools and other governmental entities. The session started Wednesday.
Meanwhile, an Arkansas school district’s quarantine because of a coronavirus outbreak has grown to more than 700 students and staff as lawmakers debate whether to allow schools to mandate masks.
Marion Superintendent Glen Fenter on Wednesday said 730 students and 10 staff members at his district have had to quarantine since classes began last week.
Fenter said 34 students and nine staff have tested positive for the virus.
In other news regarding COVID-19 in Arkansas, the state’s department of health reported a drop in hospitalizations — a decline of 18 — since Tuesday.
There were just over 1,000 new active cases reported since Tuesday and an additional 11,000-plus vaccine doses given with that 24-hour period.
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For COVID-19 information from the Arkansas Department of Health, click here.
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