Arkansas will receive nearly $2.6 billion in covid-19 aid as a result of the American Rescue Plan, the Biden administration said Monday.
The largest amount, $1.57 billion, is earmarked for state government.
More than $1 billion will be designated for local governments.
The announcement comes at a time when the state's covid-19 numbers are low and its economy is rebounding.
Arkansas' 75 counties will each get money -- a total of $586.2 million. Pulaski County, with a population of 391,911, will receive the most -- $76.1 million -- while Calhoun County, population 5,189, will get just over $1 million.
The average amount per resident appeared to be roughly $195.
Fourteen Arkansas cities will receive aid totaling more than $208.8 million. Little Rock, with $37.7 million, gets the largest share, followed by Springdale, $21.4 million, and Fort Smith, $21.2 million.
Others receiving funds included Bentonville, $6.9 million; Conway, $12.2 million; Fayetteville, $17.9 million; Hot Springs, $11.4 million; Jacksonville, $5.4 million; Jonesboro, $15.6 million; North Little Rock, $16.8 million; Pine Bluff, $16 million; Rogers, $11.7 million; Texarkana, $7.9 million; and West Memphis, $6.6 million.
Under the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, a total of $350 billion will be distributed to state, local, territorial and tribal governments.
The covid-relief package was signed into law in March by President Joe Biden after narrowly passing in Congress. Democrats supported the measure; Republicans opposed it.
Of the $350 billion, $195.3 billion is for states; $65.1 billion is for counties; $45.6 billion is for cities; $20 billion is for tribal governments; and $4.5 billion is for territories.
Another $19.5 billion is for smaller communities; Arkansas' share is $216.2 million. State officials will be responsible for distributing the money. The Treasury "expects to provide further guidance on distributions to non-entitlement units next week," department officials said.
State and local officials will be given latitude in deciding how to use the money.
The Treasury Department on Monday said the money can be used to "support public health" or to "address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency."
Water, sewer and broadband internet projects qualify. The money can also cover shortfalls caused by pandemic-related revenue shortfalls.
The money can't be used to cut taxes or to bail out public pension plans.
Like the rest of the country, Arkansas' economy suffered after the imposition of a public health emergency last year.
Unemployment, which had been 3.9% in March 2020, spiked to 10% in April, then began falling.
In March of this year, it stood at 4.4%.
Since the start of the public health emergency, 337,586 Arkansans have been infected by covid-19 -- roughly 11% of the population.
Of those, 15,993 cases were severe enough to require hospitalization, and 1,635 patients were placed on ventilators. Thus far, 5,764 Arkansas deaths have been attributed to the virus.
In recent months, the pandemic has eased in the Natural State.
The number of covid-19 cases in Arkansas increased by 76 Monday, while the number of deaths rose by three, the state Department of Health reported.
The number of active cases fell by 170, to 2,053.
"I think the numbers are pretty encouraging in the sense that they're kind of low and fairly stable," said Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, the state epidemiologist. "I think we are fortunate in that we have a very rural state."
While some states have seen their numbers rise, Arkansas' numbers have remained steady in recent weeks.
Statewide, 169 people were hospitalized due to covid-19, up three from Sunday. The number needing ventilators rose by five, to 41.
Pulaski County reported the most new cases, 17, followed by Benton County with eight and Lonoke County with seven.
The number of vaccine doses administered rose by 73,257 over the past week to 1,813,895 -- an average of 10,465 per day.
This was the fifth straight week that vaccination numbers declined after peaking at 155,467, or 22,210 per day.
In a written statement, Gov. Asa Hutchinson portrayed the state as continuing to make progress.
The state reported 4,511 additional vaccinations on Monday, compared with 4,479 the previous Monday and 3,102 on April 26.
"Vaccine administration is higher in today's report than the same day in the previous two weeks, and our seven-day average of new cases remains steady. This report is a good start to the week, and we will hopefully continue to get more Arkansans vaccinated," Hutchinson said.
Assuming the age limit is lowered, there's likely to be an uptick in vaccinations later this week, said University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences spokeswoman Leslie Taylor.
"Once the [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] does that, which we expect to happen on Wednesday if not before, then we're ready to vaccinate 12-to-15-year-olds," she said.
For anyone under the age of 18, "we have to have a parent or a guardian with them to sign the forms," she said.
"Hopefully, people want to get their families vaccinated. That's very important," she said. "Even though we're starting to see a decrease in cases, if that's going to continue, we need to get more people vaccinated."
Aid to counties
The White House announced Monday evening how much money each county in Arkansas would receive from $350 billion to be released nationally under the pandemic-related American Rescue Plan. The aid comes with guidance on how it can be used: for example, on water and sewer systems; broadband; extra pay for essential workers; help for workers and businesses harmed by the economic impact of the pandemic; and public health expenses.
Arkansas $3,396,451
Ashley $3,818,142
Baxter $8,144,799
Benton $54,219,867
Boone $7,270,727
Bradley $2,090,587
Calhoun $1,007,902
Carroll $5,512,482
Chicot $1,965,303
Clark $4,335,398
Clay $2,826,361
Cleburne $4,840,224
Cleveland $1,545,360
Columbia $4,556,247
Conway $4,049,091
Craighead $21,430,698
Crawford $12,286,931
Crittenden $9,314,697
Cross $3,189,198
Dallas $1,361,416
Desha $2,206,741
Drew $3,538,827
Faulkner $24,475,383
Franklin $3,440,931
Fulton $2,423,511
Garland $19,304,565
Grant $3,547,762
Greene $8,803,850
Hempstead $4,182,339
Hot Spring $6,559,621
Howard $2,564,334
Independence $7,347,063
Izard $2,647,273
Jackson$3,247,470
Jefferson $12,979,779
Johnson $5,162,465
Lafayette $1,286,634
Lawrence $3,186,673
Lee $1,720,368
Lincoln $2,529,759
Little River $2,381,167
Logan $4,169,519
Lonoke $14,239,414
Madison $3,219,694
Marion $3,242,614
Miller $8,402,165
Mississippi$7,895,980
Monroe $1,301,591
Montgomery $1,745,425
Nevada $1,602,854
Newton $1,505,929
Ouachita $4,541,679
Perry $2,030,761
Phillips $3,453,945
Pike$2,081,846
Poinsett $4,570,038
Polk $3,877,773
Pope $12,445,235
Prairie $1,565,949
Pulaski $76,124,117
Randolph $3,488,131
Saline $23,781,952
Scott $1,996,964
Searcy $1,530,792
Sebastian $24,828,896
Sevier $3,303,410
Sharp $3,387,904
St. Francis $4,854,791
Stone $2,429,144
Union $7,513,525
Van Buren $3,213,672
Washington $46,459,271
White $15,296,847
Woodruff $1,227,586
Yell $4,145,239
Total: $586,173,048