Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson is now regretting his decision to ban masks back in April.
Hutchinson, a Republican, is now asking state leaders to reconsider the ban and grant local school districts the option to require masks in schools. He said that at the time of his decision back in April, COVID-19 cases in Arkansas were low. However, with the emergence of the delta variant, cases have quickly risen again. With 19% of cases being in children under 18, Hutchinson wants schools to have the right to make masks mandatory.
“Yes, in hindsight, I wish that it had not become law,” Hutchinson stated during Tuesday’s press conference before adding that “everything has changed now.”
Last week, Hutchinson declared a public health emergency to slow the spread in the under-vaccinated state. Under 50% of Arkansas’s residents have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Several cities in the state are on board with the mask ban being lifted. Fayetteville approved legislation on Tuesday asking Hutchinson to grant local government agencies the option to enact a mask mandate in public spaces.
Texas, Arizona, Florida, Vermont, Iowa, South Carolina, and Utah have also banned their local government from imposing mask mandates.
