
Gov. Asa Hutchinson defended his decision not to issue a stay-at-home order for the state of Arkansas this afternoon during a press conference.
Hutchinson said that the aggressive measures that he has taken — including closing schools, closing restaurants and bars (except for delivery or takeout), closing salons, barbershops, massage parlors, movie theaters, bowling alleys — have helped curb the spread of Covid-19 in the state.
"So the strategy of a targeted response to this emergency virus situation Arkansas is proven to be successful in bending the curve, lowering the apex of the curve and reducing the number of cases and hospitalizations in Arkansas," Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said if he was to issue a stay-at-home order, it would put a 100,000 people or more out of jobs.
Arkansas has 624 confirmed coronavirus cases and 10 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally.