SILOAM SPRINGS -- Gov. Asa Hutchinson plans to visit Siloam Springs at 11 a.m. Friday to speak to citizens about the coronavirus vaccine, according to a press release issued by the governor's office.
City Administrator Phillip Patterson said during the city board meeting July 20, Hutchinson's staff has tentatively chosen the Siloam Springs Community Building as the site for the governor's visit.
Patterson said along with his speech, the governor plans to address concerns from citizens regarding the vaccine. The Siloam Springs visit is part of the governor's series of Community COVID Conversations, the release states.
"It's critical we continue to have these discussions around Arkansas to ensure people have the facts and science behind these vaccines," Hutchinson said. "The testimony from local health care professionals, community leaders, and former COVID patients has been beneficial in combating misinformation."
Benton County numbers have been going up, Patterson said .
"The reality is hospitals are filling up with cases," Patterson said. "It's not going away. There's the fear that it's coming back."
Numbers of vaccinated individuals in the state are still low, Patterson said.