We are 11 days away from the first day of the fall semester! From August 10 - August 18 come see UA Cossatot Student Services or visit with your advisor to get enrolled and get a FREE t shirt and be entered to win a laptop. All campuses will be open Monday - Friday from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm beginning on August 10.
VIDEO: From the Sevier County Hospital Board Meeting Thursday Afternoon
COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing at UA Cossatot De Queen on August 6
Thursday's COVID-19 Numbers and Maps
COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Cases
Total Positive: 958
Active Positive: 44
Recovered: 904
Deaths: 10
Negatives: 4,455
COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Cases
Total Positive: 308
Active Positive: 61
Recovered: 245
Deaths: 2
Negatives: 2,415
COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Cases
Total Positive: 160
Active Positive: 70
Recovered: 89
Deaths: 1
Negatives: 1,205
COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Cases
Total Positive: 134
Active Positive: 13
Recovered: 120
Deaths: 1
Negatives: 2,189
COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Cases
Total Positive: 88
Active Positive: 20
Recovered: 67
Deaths: 1
Negatives: 2,719
VIDEO: CARES Act Steering Committee Meeting Wednesday (08.05.20) 330PM
The CARES Act Steering Committee, created by Governor Asa Hutchinson to recommend the best use of federal COVID-19 aid, met virtually at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 5, 2020.
Governor Hutchinson Appoints Dr. José Romero As Health Secretary
LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson has appointed Dr. José Romero as Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH). Governor Hutchinson announced the appointment today at his COVID-19 briefing.
Dr. Romero, who has been serving as interim secretary of health, replaces Dr. Nate Smith, who has accepted a position at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Romero previously served as ADH’s chief medical officer. He currently chairs the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which is providing guidance nationally on the development and administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.
“This was an easy decision,” Governor Hutchinson said. “Dr. Romero has a national reputation for his work with infectious diseases. He has been involved in our fight against COVID-19 from the first day. His vast knowledge of viral infections has been integral to our decision making as we have refined our response to the pandemic. His years of work within the state’s medical community will allow a seamless transition as he assumes this important role.”
Dr. Romero moved to Arkansas in 2008 as Director of the Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UAMS and Arkansas Children’s Hospital. He served as the Director of Clinical Trials Research at Arkansas Children’s Research Institute from 2008-2019.
“I am honored to be named to this important role and look forward to ensuring that the Department of Health fulfills its mission of protecting and improving the health and well-being of all Arkansans,” Dr. Romero said. “I’m excited to work with the governor, the Legislature, our partners at the local, state and federal level, and the people of this state to help Arkansans live healthier lives.”
He has been a member of the Arkansas Vaccine Medical Advisory Committee since 2008 and chair of the committee since 2015. Since 2012, he has been the ADH Pediatric Tuberculosis Physician.
During his time at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Dr. Romero was Director for Latino Health-Related Research Affairs and Director of the Minority Health Education and Research Office.
Dr. Romero lives in Little Rock with his wife of 12 years and their Scottish Terrier.
AUDIO: UAMS Scientists Offer Guidance on Types of Face Coverings
Opinions on the use of face coverings continue to evolve since a COVID-19 pandemic was declared. Two experts with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences reveal which masks are best to wear, how to use them and what protections face coverings offer.
https://www.kuaf.com/post/uams-scientists-offer-guidance-types-face-coverings
UAMS Scientists Offer Guidance on Types of Face Coverings
Opinions on the use of face coverings continue to evolve since a COVID-19 pandemic was declared. Two experts with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences reveal which masks are best to wear, how to use them and what protections face coverings offer.
De Queen Public Hearing Announcement
There will be a Public Hearing for Angie Walker on a zone change on Coulter Dr. and N. Pine Street. The meeting will be held Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at the Sevier County Courthouse Courtroom at 6:00 PM. Please call City Hall with any question of concerns.
Stay Here, Stay Safe at UA Cossatot
At UA Cossatot your health and safety is top priority. This fall everyone will be required to wear face masks and rooms will be disinfected after each class has ended. Many courses will also be available in a hybrid format. It is not too late to enroll for the fall semester, classes begin on August 17.
Study Shows Arkansas Rice Best Positioned To Survive Current Farming Conditions, Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned what looked to be abysmal conditions for Arkansas farmers into something worse as the growing season got underway, but one crop might provide a buffer – rice. Two crops, cotton and corn, could be especially hard hit through 2023, according to a model run by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Study Shows Arkansas Rice Best Positioned To Survive Current Farming Conditions, Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has turned what looked to be abysmal conditions for Arkansas farmers into something worse as the growing season got underway, but one crop might provide a buffer - rice. Two crops, cotton and corn, could be especially hard hit through 2023, according to a model run by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Agriculture Department Issues Animal Movement Restrictions to Prevent Virus Spread
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is urging hooved animal owners to comply with animal movement restrictions issued in response to the discovery of Vesticular Stomatitis Virus in three horses in Benton County. VSV is a viral disease affecting horses, cattle, sheep, goats and swine. Transmission typically occurs through fly bites.
Agriculture Department Issues Animal Movement Restrictions to Prevent Virus Spread
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is urging hooved animal owners to comply with animal movement restrictions issued in response to the discovery of Vesticular Stomatitis Virus in three horses in Benton County. VSV is a viral disease affecting horses, cattle, sheep, goats and swine. Transmission typically occurs through fly bites.
Thousands Of PUA Claims On Hold Due To Fraud Concerns, Arkansas COVID-19 Cases Pass 45,000 Mark
Around 27,000 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims and approximately 10,000 unemployment insurance claims in the state of Arkansas are currently on hold due to fraud concerns, according to the state.
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson said any fraudulent claims filed to the state will be turned over law enforcement and the FBI.
Thousands Of PUA Claims On Hold Due To Fraud Concerns, Arkansas COVID-19 Cases Pass 45,000 Mark
Around 27,000 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claims and approximately 10,000 unemployment insurance claims in the state of Arkansas are currently on hold due to fraud concerns, according to the state. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said any fraudulent claims filed to the state will be turned over law enforcement and the FBI.
U of A, UAMS Research Team Develops Long-Lasting Disinfectant Spray
Researchers from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are creating and testing a long-lasting liquid anti-bacterial, anti-viral surface spray coating for both domestic and commercial use.
https://www.kuaf.com/post/u-uams-research-team-develops-long-lasting-disinfectant-spray
U of A, UAMS Research Team Develops Long-Lasting Disinfectant Spray
Researchers from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences are creating and testing a long-lasting liquid anti-bacterial, anti-viral surface spray coating for both domestic and commercial use.
Cooperative Extension Service uses County Connections to Aid UAMS with COVID-19 Testing Outreach in Sevier County this Thursday
By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture
LITTLE ROCK — The job of a family and consumer science agent with the Cooperative Extension Service is providing people in their communities with resources to help them live better.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, family and science agents have been providing free, resourced-based information and services to help Arkansans successfully manage their health, finances and family resources.
Through a partnership with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, extension agents are using their community connections to help meet the pandemic-related health needs in rural, underserved areas of the state.
UAMS has a mobile testing unit that will travel on average three times a week from Little Rock to rural communities to provide COVID-19 testing. This effort coincides with Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s efforts to increase testing capacity across the state.
Destinations are identified on an ongoing basis, depending on counties’ need. Some of the testing sites will be hosted at University of Arkansas System campuses, but 63 counties do not have a U of A System campus, and this is where extension agents’ local connections come into play.
“We have extension agents working in every county in Arkansas and because they also live in the communities they serve, they have extensive knowledge of the needs of residents and of resources available in their communities,” said Bob Scott, director of the Cooperative Extension Service for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “UAMS is providing much-needed testing to Arkansans, and we are committed to using our networks to help with this important outreach and to support Gov. Hutchinson’s efforts to expand testing.”
Extension’s health leadership team is collaborating with the UAMS Office of Population Health.
“We have agreed that the best way we can assist is to provide referrals to our local community partners who may be able to coordinate these efforts,” said Laura Balis, assistant professor and extension health specialist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Local partners will help select and coordinate sites, find volunteers, promote the testing events locally and assist at the events. Testing events will typically take place between 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
In Sevier County, which had more than 930 cases as of Monday, Extension Agent Janet Cantrell contacted Angie Walker, president of the Sevier County Health Coalition, who coordinated a site at the University of Arkansas Cossatot Community College. Testing will be offered 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Aug. 6 at the De Queen Campus.Testing events will be publicized by the local community partners and by county extension offices.
The mobile unit is expected to visit each county no more than twice in the coming year. The Blue & You Foundation provided funding for UAMS’s van and supplies, and UAMS staff began offering COVID-19 screenings and testing in early April.
“We’ve opened up these testing services for members of the community who want to be tested, and we’ve had an amazing turnout,” said Kristie Hadden, director of population health at UAMS.
COVID-19 testing at the mobile unit is available to anyone who feels they need testing. People do not have to be UAMS patients to be seen. Everyone will be given instructions on how to take care of themselves and their families at home and will receive a phone call with their test results a few days later.
UAMS’ online screening tool is available at uamshealth.com/healthnow. Phone screening is also available through the UAMS Health hotline at 800-632-4502.uamshealth.com/healthnow
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @UAEX_edu.
HealthNow | UAMS Health
UAMS HealthNow provides real-time access to a provider via video chat using your smartphone, tablet or computer to patients within the state of Arkansas.
UA Cossatot Fiesta Fest Postponed
UA Cossatot’s annual Fiesta Fest held in Downtown De Queen will be postponed until May 1, 2021.
Fiesta Fest organizers are already planning for next year’s festival and are working to create a fun and exciting event the entire Southwest Arkansas community will enjoy.
Fiesta Fest focuses on bringing the community together to celebrate all the cultures of Southwest Arkansas while raising money for UA Cossatot students.
Vendor and sponsorship forms are available online for Fiesta Fest 2021 and can be found by visiting www.cccua.edu/ff.
For more information on Fiesta Fest and how you can participate, contact Dustin Roberts at 870-584-1172 or droberts@cccua.edu.
Cossatot Community College
Fiesta Fest has been scheduled for Saturday, May 1, 2021, in Downtown De Queen, from 11:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Fiesta Fest is the Foundation's largest community event. The event focuses on bringing the community together to celebrate all of the cultures of Southwest Arkansas, while raising money for UA Cossatot students.
Kristen Gibson on University of Arkansas’ Short Talks From the Hill
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In a new episode of the University of Arkansas’ Short Talks From the Hill, Kristen Gibson explains how soap destroys respiratory viruses such as coronavirus and offers tips for handling potentially contaminated surfaces.
Gibson is an associate professor of food safety and microbiology for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, and in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. She studies the fate and transport of pathogens within food systems, focusing on human noroviruses and fresh produce, as well as retail food safety.
When the coronavirus pandemic broke, Gibson's knowledge and expertise were in high demand. Was packaged and take-out food safe? How should it be handled? Gibson addressed these concerns with several media outlets and emphasized the critical importance of hand-washing, something everyone should be doing regularly, she says, even when there isn't a pandemic.
In this new podcast, Gibson explains the effect of soap on respiratory viruses, such coronavirus.
"Respiratory viruses have what is called an envelope. And this is basically … a fatty layer around the virus itself. And so, if you remember a little bit about chemistry from back in the day, soap is designed to break down fat. So, for respiratory viruses, soap will destroy that outer envelope that protects the virus. And then it makes it more susceptible to kind of destroying the virus and making it not able to infect anymore."
To listen to Gibson discuss her research, go to ResearchFrontiers.uark.edu, the home of research news at the University of Arkansas, or visit the "On Air" and "Programs" link at KUAF.com.
Short Talks From the Hill highlights research and scholarly work at the University of Arkansas. Each segment features a university researcher discussing his or her work. Previous podcasts can be found under the 'Short Talks From the Hill' link at ResearchFrontiers.uark.edu.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at ArkAgResearch.
Wednesday's Arkansas COVID-19 Update from the AR Department of Health
COVID-19 Metrics for Sevier County
Cases
Total Positive: 944
Active Positive: 35
Recovered: 899
Deaths: 10
Negatives: 4,452
COVID-19 Metrics for Howard County
Cases
Total Positive: 303
Active Positive: 60
Recovered: 241
Deaths: 2
Negatives: 2,408
COVID-19 Metrics for Little River County
Cases
Total Positive: 158
Active Positive: 70
Recovered: 87
Deaths: 1
Negatives: 1,199
COVID-19 Metrics for Polk County
Cases
Total Positive: 132
Active Positive: 15
Recovered: 116
Deaths: 1
Negatives: 2,182
COVID-19 Metrics for Pike County
Cases
Total Positive: 84
Active Positive: 18
Recovered: 65
Deaths: 1
Negatives: 2,689
VIDEO: Governor Hutchinson Provides COVID-19 Update Wednesday (08.05.20) 130PM
Governor Asa Hutchinson provides an update to media on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, live at 1:30 p.m. regarding Arkansas's COVID-19 response.
Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught
Contact tracing is one of the most important public health strategies currently available to help us reduce the spread and transmission of COVID-19.
The idea behind contact tracing is to see who is a close contact of an individual who has tested positive for the virus, identify who has been exposed, provide them with information about testing and how to quarantine. Contact tracers help notify people who may not know they have been exposed and helps close the loop.
This week, the Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) voted to direct $16 million of federal funds to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) to expand contact tracing. The extra funding requested is meant to fund an equivalent 350 contract tracers and 20 nurses.
ALC also approved the use of $7 million in federal CARES Act funds for COVID-19 relief in Northwest Arkansas. The money will be used to track a spike in cases in the Marshallese and Latinx communities. A large portion of COVID-19 deaths in Northwest Arkansas has come from these communities.
To help with contact tracing, ADH has contracted with two firms, General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) and Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care (AFMC). These two contractors are on track to have a combined 700 contract tracers by the end of the year.
Many contact tracers will call from the number (877) ARCOV19 or (877) 272-6819, but a contact investigator may also reach out from a different phone number.
It’s possible you won’t recognize the number, but it’s important to answer or return the call if it goes to voicemail.
The case investigator and contact tracer will never ask for your Social Security number, bank account number, or credit card. If the caller ever discusses money, that’s a sign that it is not a legitimate Department of Health investigator. If you want to verify that you have been contacted by a Health Department case investigator or contact tracer, you may call (800) 803-7847.
Educational Resource Center at UA Cossatot
Time to return summer rentals! Use the outdoor drop box or return your rentals at the ERC! Don't forget to wear a mask and practice physical distancing!
