LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A growing number of Arkansas hospitals are requiring their staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

CHI St. Vincent, St. Bernards Healthcare System, NEA Baptist and Conway Regional Health System announced the vaccine requirements for staff on Thursday as the state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped for the first time in nearly a week.

The number of schools and universities requiring masks to combat the virus continued to grow, with Arkansas State University announcing an indoor mask mandate.

The requirements follow a judge’s decision last week to temporarily block Arkansas’ mask mandate ban.