Just days before the one-year anniversary of the first confirmed Covid-19 case in Arkansas, the availability of Covid-19 vaccines had opened up enough that Gov. Asa Hutchinson increased eligibility for the shots to the remaining essential workers in category 1-B and people with developmental or intellectual issues.
“This is great news,” Amy Johnson, a pharmacist with the Holiday Island Pharmacy, said. “The remaining phase of 1-B includes firefighters and police not vaccinated in 1-A, including volunteers, and people working in manufacturing, grocery stores, public transit, the postal services, essential government workers and correctional officers.”
Also included are leaders of houses of worship. Those eligible now also include people 65 and older, school personnel, and poultry workers.
Appointments for vaccinations can be made by calling the Holiday Island Pharmacy at (479) 239-2121 to be placed on a waiting list.
Johnson said she has seen little hesitance about getting the vaccine from residents. She encourages anyone with specific health concerns to talk to their physicians.
“The more information you have, the better,” she said. “It is important we get everyone vaccinated.”
The governor also announced opening a hotline number, (800) 985-6030, for Arkansas vaccine help and information. Translation services and help securing vaccine appointments is available at the call center.
The governor said March 8 that they hope to finish vaccinating everyone in phase 1-B before the end of March and begin phase 1-C in April.
Some residents eligible to receive the vaccine have said they are putting it off until later in the year, mentioning that they’re being safe with masking, social distancing and handwashing, and they prefer the shots go to people in greater need. Some may also be concerned about vaccine safety.
Dr. Dan Bell of ECHO Clinic is urging people who are eligible to get the vaccine as soon as possible because supplies are good now but could become scarcer when the governor opens up eligibility to more categories.
Bell said if people are currently eligible, this is a good time to call Smith Drug at (479) 253-6000 to get on the waiting list to get a shot at the ECHO clinic.
“We encourage people to get vaccines to keep numbers down and keep mutations from forming,” Bell said. “I think when the state opens it to the general population, it is going to be harder for an older person to get in there just because of the high demand. This is the at-risk group that needs to go ahead and get their shots.”
ECHO has delivered 1,500 shots for people on the waiting list at Smith’s. Bell said there have been zero adverse reactions.
Jean Reed, RN, has provided numerous vaccinations both at ECHO and the Eureka Springs Hospital.
“I’ve never seen people so happy to get a shot in my whole life,” Reed said. “And I’ve been a nurse of 40-some years. It has gone very smoothly. Most of the time, the shot doesn’t hurt because we’re pretty good at giving it. Everyone is being congenial, encouraging, and following safety guidelines. People are just relieved to be taking this step to get over the pandemic.”
Bell has also seen that people getting the vaccines are very grateful and relieved.
“It gives you an attitude boost,” Bell said. “It improves your mental state. It is encouraging to see we are making some progress. It is a bit freeing, too, particularly when you have both shots. You still have to do the right things, but it does improve your overall mental outlook.”
Bell is encouraged that Covid-19 numbers including new cases, active cases and hospitalizations in Arkansas are down.
If someone is eligible and on the waiting list, and hasn’t received an appointment, Bell urges them to call Smith’s again, then be sure to answer your phone. Because of so many unwanted telemarketing and scam calls, some people avoid answering calls from numbers they don’t recognize.
“A lot of people are not answering the phone when we call,” Bell said. “If you don’t answer your phone, we move down to the person below you. We may try calling another couple of times, but then we give up.”
Covid vaccines and tests are available at the Eureka Springs Hospital, (479) 253-7400. Shots are also available in Berryville at the Mercy Hospital, Economy Drug and Poynor Drug.
The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement has not provided an update by local zip codes and school districts since the winter storms. While testing was reduced because of the bad winter, the weather kept people more isolated because many roads were impassable or dangerous. That could have contributed to less spread of the virus. An updated report is expected March 11.
As of March 8, Carroll County has had 2,315 confirmed Covid-19 positive cases with 2,267 considered recovered. The county has had 38 deaths from Covid, according to data from the Arkansas Department of Health.
Arkansas has the eighth highest number of Covid cases per population in the U.S. with 10,701 cases per 100,000 population.
Nationwide as of March 8, new cases were down 12 percent, deaths were down 10 percent and hospitalizations down 29 percent. Health authorities have warned that the country is still seeing a high number of infections, and there are concerns that more contagious variants are spreading rapidly.