On Friday, March 13, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency for the escalating coronavirus outbreak.
This declaration could free up to $50 billion in funding to combat the growing health crisis. During the announcement, Trump said that he was ordering every state to establish emergency operation centers to address the virus and was allowing U.S. Health and Human Secretary Alex Azar to waive specific laws and regulations in order to contain the virus.
This announcement comes days after the state of Arkansas has already declared a public health emergency. Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed an executive order declaring  a public health emergency on Wednesday, March 11, in response to the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Arkansas.
Earlier this month, Trump signed a $8.3 billion spending bill to fight coronavirus. The bill is aimed at providing funding for federal agencies to develop and manufacture vaccines and provide other measures to fight the spread the virus.
READ MORE: Coronavirus Total Increases to Nine in Arkansas