• The Governor said today that while he hopes to lift some restrictions on May 4, Arkansans will still need to practice social distancing and wear a mask.
• The Governor says compared to other states, Arkansas is doing well in per capita testing. He plans to meet with hospital administrators and state labs tomorrow to determine what would be needed to begin broad surveillance testing.
• Testing continues at the Cummins state prison. Health Secretary Dr. Nate Smith says around 600 inmates have tested positive so far. Three inmates are in the hospital, but Dr. Smith says the majority are not presenting any symptoms. On Sunday, the Governor asked for a review of all non-violent, non-sex offenders who are eligible for release in the next 6 months.
• April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. The Director for DHS Division of Children and Family Services says abuse does not stop during a pandemic. Since many of the state’s mandated reporters including teachers aren’t interacting face to face with Arkansas children during this time, the department is asking communities to be vigilant and report any suspected abuse. Calls to the hotline are 50% less than during this time period in previous years. The number to the hotline is 1-844-SAVE-A-CHILD.

2020 Covid-19_infographic_2020-04-20.pdf