Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson Says Resistance To COVID-19 Vaccine Due To ‘Myths’

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-Arkansas) said that he feels that the resistance to the COVID-19 vaccine “has hardened” in some areas of Arkansas and blamed “false information” about the vaccine on social media.

“I don’t know if I underestimated it, but, certainly, the resistance has hardened in certain elements and is simply false information,” Hutchinson said during his interview with CNN’s State of the Union. 

“It is myths. As I go into these town hall meetings, someone said: Don’t call it a vaccine. Call it a bioweapon. And they talk about mind control,” Hutchinson added. “Well, those are obviously erroneous. Other members of the community correct that.”

In these few weeks, delta variant has been surging nationwide, especially in states with low vaccination rates, including Arkansas.

“What’s holding us back is a low vaccination rate. We’re doing all that we can,” Hutchinson said. “And I made the decision that it’s really not what the government can tell you to do, but it is the community and their engagement and citizens talking to other citizens and trusted advisers, whether it’s medical community or whether it’s employers. Those are key.”

Hutchinson has also emphasized that he has been actively going to town hall meetings around his state, encouraging his constituents to get vaccinated.

“There’s more [people] that come to the town meeting that are trying to get information, that they have put it off or they’re hesitant. They’re worried about health consequences,” he said. “And so that’s where you have a community physician that answers the questions…. And so we’re seeing people that were previously resistant or hesitant about it coming in and getting the vaccination.”

In February, Hutchinson said he would not support former President Donald Trump if he runs again in the 2024 election.