Jonesboro is maintaining its mask and social distancing requirements for now.
Mayor Harold Copenhaver announced that the city would respect the statewide lifting of the mask mandate but would continue to require masks at city offices. However, he noted that businesses will be able to make their own decisions on mask requirements.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson lifted the statewide mask mandate, which had been in effect since July 2020, on Tuesday, March 30. However, the state is still under a public health emergency, which was extended this week by the Arkansas Legislative Council for an additional 60 days.
“To care for the health of City employees and be responsible to our community, we will continue to ask those doing business in City facilities to practice social distancing and wear masks when coming to City offices,” Copenhaver said in a statement. “We hope continuing these practices, added to the growing number of vaccinated residents, will help result in a swifter, full return to normalcy.”
Jonesboro is the latest city to announce its continuation of a mask requirement. Following Hutchinson’s announcement, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said the city would still have a mask mandate despite the lifting of the state mandate. He reaffirmed this mandate during a press conference on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Frank Scott Jr. Reaffirms City’s Authority to Continue Mask Mandate