Restaurant in Little Rock responds to CDC guideline changes

Little Rock, Arkansas — As the CDC changes recommendations, Trio’s in Little Rock is changing its guidelines.

According to Co-Owner and Little Rock City Director Capi Peck, they’re removing the requirement of proof of vaccination.

“I feel like we’ll maybe have a little push back, but I believe in the science and medical advice,” Peck said. “We’ve been doing this for two years, let’s just do it until things get better in our county because they aren’t right now.”

She has been consulting with fellow Little Rock Director Dr. Dean Kumpris since the start of the pandemic, Peck said.

“We’re sort of a trendsetter,” Peck said. “Right from the beginning, we were the first restaurant to close for dine-in capacity.”

According to The CDC’s new guidelines, around 70% of Americans can choose not to wear masks. The CDC recommended those in low or medium-risk areas get tested if symptomatic and stay up to date on their vaccines. In medium-risk counties, the CDC recommended high-risk patients to consult with their healthcare providers on further precautions including masks.

The CDC recommended those in high-risk counties wear masks. Counties can calculate their risk status through three factors including COVID-related hospital admissions, hospital beds occupied by COVID patients, and the rate of new cases in the community.

42 counties in Arkansas were still high risk. This included Pulaski County, where Trio’s is located. The risk factor is reason enough to require masks, Peck said. According to the co-owner, they’ll consider the risk level when making future decisions on guidelines.

“Hopefully that will be soon then we can dispense with the requirement for masks we all look forward to doing that,” Peck said. “Who could’ve imagined two years ago that we would still be doing this.”