The CDC announced new guidance last week stating that fully vaccinated people no longer have to wear a mask in indoor or outdoor settings. Exceptions to this are when using public transportation and in health care settings. We are not changing our mask requirements or other safety precautions for COVID-19 here at Xxxx. While nearly 80 percent of our xxxx employees and students are vaccinated, only 36% of Arkansans aged 12 and up are fully vaccinated. Our patients and visitors are not all vaccinated, and we cannot risk infecting our students and employees in hallways, dining areas or other common areas of our institution.
Today we have 12 patients in our hospital, which is the most we’ve had since late March. Two of these patients had one dose of the COVID vaccine, and the others are all unvaccinated. Unlike our earlier patients, the majority of today’s patients are younger, with many in their 20s and 30s. Even young healthy people are at risk of serious disease. With so few Arkansans fully vaccinated, we remain at high risk of significantly more infections in our state, and we must remain vigilant.
Until further notice, it’s very important that you continue to wear your mask at xxxx unless you are actively eating or drinking or alone in your office or work area. We will continue to maintain social distancing and encourage hand hygiene as well. We have not yet conquered COVID. Thank you for your support.