Governor asks legislature to reconsider ban on school mask mandates

• Hutchinson stressed school districts need to be allowed to require masks, in particular to protect kids under 12 who cannot get vaccinated.

Threat level: Four COVID-19 patients were forced to wait in ambulances Thursday until EMTs could find open hospital beds, Hutchinson said.

• A federal surge response team is coming to Arkansas to evaluate how to handle the uptick in hospitalized patients.

Why it matters: The emergency declaration will allow the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management to seek emergency staffing assistance and will ease licensure requirements for health professionals, speeding up the process for those going into health care and making it easier for retired health professionals to re-enter the field.

By the numbers: The state added more than 2,800 new cases between Wednesday and Thursday, and 1,055 people were in the hospital as of Thursday.

• Arkansas Children's Hospital had 24 COVID-19 patients, Hutchinson said. Half the patients were under 12.

1 important thing: 29.4% of Arkansans ages 12–18 are partially vaccinated, and another 17.5% are fully vaccinated, according to the Arkansas Department of Health.

What's next: The legislature will likely meet next week to reconsider the mask ban.

• Spokespeople for Bentonville, Springdale and Rogers school districts tell Axios they do not yet have specific plans if Act 1002 is amended.