LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson has created the Governor’s COVID-19 Testing Working Group to make recommendations to expand the capacity and performance of COVID-19 testing in the state, the Governor announced at a news conference today. The working group will meet virtually for the first time at 3 p.m. today.

“Arkansas’s ability to conduct adequate diagnostic and surveillance testing will affect the state’s public-health strategy and economic-recovery efforts after Arkansas reaches its peak number of COVID-19 cases,” Governor Hutchinson said. “As we prepare to shift Arkansas’s economy out of low gear, it is important for us to have more comprehensive information about the spread of COVID-19 in the state.”

The working group will include senior representatives of the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Baptist Health of Arkansas, and Arkansas Children’s. These leaders will examine the state’s supply of testing equipment and make recommendations to maintain adequate testing capabilities and conduct surveillance testing across the state.

Members of the Governor’s COVID-19 Testing Working Group are:

Dr. Nathaniel Smith, ADH
Dr. Glen Baker, ADH
Dr. Naveen Patil, ADH
Dr. Katie Seely, ADH
Dr. Jennifer Hunt, UAMS
Dr. Jose Romero, ADH, UAMS, Arkansas Children’s
Dr. Atul Kothari, ADH, UAMS
Mr. Robin Mitchell, Arkansas Children’s
Dr. Bobby Boyanton, Arkansas Children’s