LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas on Tuesday made the coronavirus vaccine available to 1 million more people, expanding its eligibility to a wide swath of people that includes food service workers, prisoners and people with certain health conditions.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced the state was opening up the 1C phase of its vaccination plan, citing President Joe Biden’s goal to have all adults eligible for the vaccine by May 1. Arkansas had previously made the vaccine available to people at least 65 years old and several other groups that included teachers and health care workers.
Others in the newly eligible category in Arkansas include essential workers in energy, finance, legal and media sectors.
Hutchinson also cited a slowdown in demand for the vaccine, particularly in rural parts of the state, as a reason for opening up eligibility further. The Department of Health said that nearly 864,000 of the 1.5 million vaccine doses allocated to the state have been given so far.
