ARK J&J VACCINES — Arkansas health officials say nearly 60,000 doses of the state's Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine are nearing their expiration date and would have to be discarded if not used. Arkansas’ State epidemiologist expects most of the vaccine will be administered rather than discarded as the earlier expiring doses are being moved to vaccination sites around the state for use.
Although Governor Asa Hutchinson has ended the Pandemic Emergency Order – Health officials still urge caution especially as more infectious Covid variants are being discovered.
"We still have more Covid-19 cases being reported now than a year ago." Dr. Cam Patterson, Chancellor-UAMS, Little Rock

"We still have more Covid-19 cases being reported now than a year ago," said Dr. Cam Patterson, Chancellor for the University of Arkansas Medical System in Little Rock. "We are not totally out of the woods, the most important thing that we can do right now is to remain vigilant. And for those who haven't been vaccinated, getting a vaccine is good for you, it's good for your family, it's good for your community and it's going to help us to make the pandemic something that's in our rear-view mirror."
The Arkansas health department reports more than 2.6 million total doses of vaccines have been received and more than 1.9 million doses administered, including nearly 898,000 people who are fully immunized.