COVID Update: Masks – Yes; Travelers – No; Loans Flowing; 14 Deaths; 6 Prison Cases

Pictured l. to r., Gov. Hutchinson and Dr. Smith displaying his personal cloth mask that his wife made for him.

Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson held a news conference on Saturday, April 4th, 2020 to update on the COVID-19 pandemic.

SEE KEY NOTES, STATISTICS & VIDEO BELOW.

According to Gov. Hutchinson and Dr. Smith:

80 bridge (business) loans have been approved in Arkansas equaling about $1.7 million.
The State has allocated $10 million for struggling rural hospitals
Direction is for hotels, motels, vacation rentals etc. not to house recreational travelers from out of state, but… it’s ok for Healthcare workers, first responders, law enforcement, State or Federal employees on official business, national guard members on active duty, airline crew members, patients of hospitals and their families, journalists, persons unable to return to their home because the covid-19 travel restrictions, Arkansas citizens in exigent circumstances, persons in need of shelter due to domestic violence or homelessness, employees of hotels, motels, persons away from their own home due to work-related travel.
They are recommending residents follow the CDC’s guidelines of wearing a cloth mask (not N95) when it’s difficult to maintain 6 feet distance. It is not mandatory.
The Federal Correctional Institute in Forrest City now has 6 cases of COVID-19. 3 are inmates and 3 are staff. Management of that situation is the responsibility of the Federal Government.
The Governor applauds large retailers for their safety measures and specifically mentioned Walmart and Target.
You can go online to Google Mobility Reports to see the changes in how people in Arkansas are moving around. Data is from about a week ago. Below is the Saline County section. Click to enlarge image.

See the full report for Arkansas at https://www.gstatic.com/covid19/mobility/2020-03-29_US_Arkansas_Mobility_Report_en.pdf. For other reports, visit google.com/covid19/mobility.