By: Cayden Hartman
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) — Some bar workers are concerned about reopening while still not having the opportunity to get vaccinated.
For Bo Counts, owner of Pinpoint Fayetteville, the lack of vaccination opportunities for him and his employees is a cause for concern.
“We continue to scratch our heads on why people in our business are put at the end of the vaccination list in group 1C. When if you look at it we interact with more people than group 1A and 1B combined,” Counts said.
Counts said that the pressure on his business are strict while the amount of available aid and vaccination opportunities are slim.
“We seem to be one of the continuously most restricted industries but we have some of the smallest amount of relief and aid,” Counts said. “Were out here on the front lines and we’re last to get any assistance or vaccine.”
Counts said that the lack of vaccines for his staff, which includes immunocompromised employees, is a factor keeping him from fully re-opening.
“We don’t plan on changing any of our rules here at pinpoint until everybody is at least vaccinated on our staff,” Counts said.
While Counts is taking precautions to keep his employees safe before they can get vaccinated another local bartender is fine waiting.
“If it’s going to go to someone I would rather it go to someone who needs it more than I do,” Haydn Babione said.
Bartenders and restaurant workers are included in phase 1C of the state’s vaccination rollout plan.
Governor Hutchinson announced Monday that COVID-19 vaccine eligibility would expand to everyone in within phase 1B.
“First I want to announce that we are opening 1B to everyone in 1B” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson said that one reason to open up group 1B is to transition phases in April.
“We people vaccinated in 1B so that we can go to the 1C category in April,” Hutchinson said. “We’re going to continue to get these supplies in but we want to get them in the arms of Arkansans because it is what is saving lives and getting us back to normal.”