LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement is urging all schools in the state to require masks before the start of the school year.
The health policy center said that all K-12 schools and colleges in the state should have an indoor mask requirement for students and staff regardless of vaccination status.
"COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations among children are escalating at a time when community spread of the highly contagious delta variant is rampant and our hospitals are at or near capacity," the ACHI health policy board said in a statement.
ACHI said schools should require masks indoors for the next 30 days and extended based on "viral spread within the school or the school's community."
The group said that schools should invest in testing, cleaning, and building ventilation as well as encourage those who are eligible to be vaccinated.
Currently, anyone ages 12 or older are eligible for the vaccine in Arkansas.
Dr. Joe Thompson, president and CEO of ACHI, said this recommendation is an "urgent call" to school leaders.
"The Delta variant is more than twice as contagious as previous strains of this virus, and it is attacking children at a rate we have not seen before," he said. "Over the next few weeks, the crisis facing our state could be catastrophic."
On Monday, the Arkansas Department of Health reported that only 8 ICU beds were available in the entire state.