Arkansas prisoners have moved to manufacturing cloth masks for use in the prison system and beyond, Department of Correction Secretary Wendy Kelly said Thursday. A total of about 80,000 masks are expected to be produced.
No inmates have tested positive for covid-19, Kelly said, though only two have been tested. She said a small number of inmates are under observation with possible symptoms.
One Department of Correction employee has tested positive, but that person did not work inside a correctional facility.
The department ended all in-person visitation for inmates in mid-March, Kelly said, and fees for phone calls and emailing have been reduced.
Kelly said the department has also waived medical fees for inmates to encourage them to seek care if they think they may have the virus.
At the same news conference, Gov. Asa Hutchinson resisted the idea of a halt on evictions in the state, which some have called for because so many people are out of work.
Hutchinson said there is a “practical” moratorium on evictions, even if there isn’t a formal one, because courts are closed and process servers are not going out to do the work that is part of an eviction.
He said he is also confident that landlords will work to find a compromise with tenants who are unable to pay rent for coronavirus-related reasons.
Hutchinson said tenants should pay their rent when they receive their stimulus check from the federal government or when they receive unemployment benefits.
2:57 p.m.: Governor pushes back against idea of stay-at-home order in Arkansas
Gov. Asa Hutchinson doubled down Thursday on his decision that a stay-at-home order is not needed in Arkansas even as a majority of other states have implemented some form of the measure.
He pointed to data showing the number of covid-19 cases in Arkansas rising slower than initially projected. The total Thursday rose to 643 cases, much lower than the 1,000 or so cases previously expected by this time, according to a graph shown at the press conference.
Two more patients died of the virus as of Thursday, Hutchinson said, bringing the total deaths so far to 12. One was a resident of Briarwood Nursing and Rehabilitation over the age 65, Health Secretary Nate Smith said. The other was an adult under 65 who died in Central Arkansas.
He said both of the deceased patients had underlying health conditions.
Hutchinson said a stay-at-home order would be only a little different from what the state is doing now, with numerous businesses and public places including beauty parlors, dining rooms at restaurants and gyms already closed.
Even under an order like most other states have, Hutchinson said, 700,000 Arkansans would continue to go to work each day because they’re employed in jobs most states' orders have deemed essential services.
He also said a stay-at-home order would put an additional 100,000 or more Arkansans out of work, including many in the retail industry. He said companies including Dillard’s are able to continue employing at least some staff to meet the needs of the limited customers they’re seeing.
Under a stay-at-home order, Hutchinson said these people would likely become unemployed.
Smith said he agreed with the governor on the lack of need for a stay-at-home order and said current measures seem to be accomplishing their goal of “flattening the curve” so a large number of cases doesn’t overwhelm state hospitals.
Of the 643 cases, Smith said 20 are children, 440 are adults under 65 and 183 are adults 65 and older.
Healthcare workers account for 91 of the cases, and nursing home residents account for 51.
Smith said 66 patients are hospitalized, including 23 on ventilators.
So far 47 patients have recovered from the virus.
– Nyssa Kruse
12:26 P.M.: Governor, state health officials to give coronavirus update
Gov. Asa Hutchinson and state health officials are scheduled to provide an update on coronavirus in Arkansas at 1:30 p.m. briefing at the state Capitol. Check back here then to watch live video.
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