LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Vaccination rates are steadily increasing, but there is still plenty of vaccination hesitancy out there. This has led to several questions about who could be required to be vaccinated for work. Let’s verify one in particular.
One viewer asked, "Can childcare workers be required to be vaccinated by the state of Arkansas since the children they are around don't have the option?"
The answer is no.
Our sources are the Arkansas State Law and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here’s the deal, individual businesses can require employees to be vaccinated but the state of Arkansas will not.
In fact, Act 977 prohibits the state from mandating a COVID-19 vaccine or immunization for state employees.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson mentioned this in Tuesday’s press briefing.
“There’s a law on the books that the legislature passed that says we cannot have a vaccine mandate requirement," Hutchinson said.
"[In state government], if you’re not vaccinated you have to wear a mask if you cannot socially distance, so those are the public health requirements but there is not a mandate in place and the law prohibits that.”
On the CDC’s website, they explain the federal government does not require vaccination for individuals.
However, they encourage everyone 12 years and older who is now eligible to get vaccinated, to do so, saying, “widespread vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic.”
So we can verify that no, the state of Arkansas cannot mandate childcare workers be vaccinated.
If there’s something you want verified, let us help! Email us at verify@thv11.com or reach out to us on social media.