LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Monday that if you are over the age of 18, you are eligible for the booster shot as long as it's been six months since the second Pfizer or Moderna shot or two months since the Johnson & Johnson shot.
Hutchinson said that the state had been seeing a need for making the COVID-19 booster shot more available for Arkansans and consulted with the department of health to do so.
The state has seen a slight increase in virus cases compared to the week before, but hospitalizations continue to remain low.
The state reported 151 new cases Monday along with 12 new deaths from the virus. However, active cases in the state dropped by 351 positive COVID-19 cases.
COVID-19 cases are on the rise in other states in the north and west and health officials in Arkansas are expecting another wave.
"We do not have enough people in Arkansas who are immune to COVID-19 to prevent additional surges," said Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, Chief Medical Office of Arkansas.
Roughly 1.4 million people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Arkansas.
Watch the press conference here:
We will update this article with more information as it becomes available.