Arkansas Governor: States “cannot be imposing restrictions nationwide”


Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) said Sunday that the states “cannot be imposing restrictions on each other” after New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced a 14-day quarantine for states travelers affected by the coronavirus.

The Arkansas governor, whose residents would have to comply with the quarantine, said on ABC News “This Week” that it is “understandable” that the New York governor. Andrew CuomoAndrew CuomoUS hits 2.5 million coronavirus cases as states hit one-day highs on Sunday shows a preview: With the rise in coronavirus cases, lawmakers and health officials weigh in on Fauci hinting at a new approach to COVID-19 tests MORE (D) instituted this policy, along with the other two states.

“So we are going to do better to solve our cases in Arkansas, but ultimately we cannot put restrictions on each other across the country because we have to do two things: control the virus and control the growth of our economy,” Hutchinson said.

“And ultimately, every time you see a growth in cases from Texas to California, I don’t think New York wants to isolate itself from all the trade regions that might have a peak in cases,” he added.

He noted that Arkansas had the “same order” for New York travelers at the start of the pandemic in the United States, adding that it has arisen “because this virus has become a fog that runs through the United States, sometimes slowly sometimes quickly. “

Cuomo announced that people in states with an infection rate of more than 10 cases per 100,000 people in a seven-day moving average have to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut.

California, Texas and Florida have paused their reopening efforts amid growing cases.

Hutchinson did not say whether the state will reverse the course of its reopening plans, but said the state will not move into the third phase of reopening “until we make sure we handle our current cases.”

His state has documented a total of 18,577 confirmed cases of COVID-19, leading to 259 deaths, according to the state health department.

The Arkansas governor called for tests to be doubled across the country and said demand for test supplies “is only going to increase.”

“If we are going to have a school, which we plan to do next year, if we are going to have other activities that we like in society, it all depends on the ability to test and know what the radar shows where the virus is, that is, so that we can go in and isolate it, we can track it, ”he said.

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