COVID-19
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Small Business Assistance: Vaccines are available to a wide range of New Jerseyans, including health care workers, individuals over 55, individuals over 16 with certain pre-existing conditions or developmental disabilities, and several categories of essential workers. Effective April 19th, all residents over 16 will be eligible for vaccination! Read more about eligibility here.
Register to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at covidvaccine.nj.gov or view a full list of vaccination sites and instructions to make an appointment here. Questions? Call the state hotline at 855-568-0545 between 8:00am and 8:00pm daily.
Our country continues to reckon with a deadly pandemic and economic crisis. The United States has now crossed 31,400,000 infections and 563,000 deaths due to COVID-19. Help is on the way. More than 192 million vaccines have been administered, fully vaccinating over 75 million Americans. We are well on our way to meeting President Biden's goal of 200 million shots within his first 100 days in office ahead of schedule. As availability expands, President Biden has directed state governments to make all adults eligible for vaccines by April 19. As we fight to vanquish this virus, I want to ensure you have the latest information about the pandemic and my work in Congress to protect the safety and economic security of North Jersey workers and families. Slowing the Spread As of April 14, there are 959,920 confirmed cases and 24,945 deaths in our state, an increase of 26,182 infections and 245 deaths from last week. New Jersey's seven-day average for confirmed cases is now 3,185, down 14% from a week ago, but up 7% from a month ago. Cases continue to remain high in our state. As vaccine distribution continues, it is vital we slow the spread of by continuing social distancing, wearing a mask in public, and practicing good hygiene. Vaccine Distribution As of April 14, New Jersey has administered 5,540,631 vaccines, fully vaccinating 2,243,427 individuals. Nearly one in three adults across our state have now been fully vaccinated. Currently, vaccines are available to health care workers, residents or staff of long-term care facilities, public safety professionals, individuals over 55, individuals over 16 with certain pre-existing conditions or developmental disabilities, individuals experiencing homelessness, teachers and school staff, childcare workers, transportation workers, utility workers, and other essential workers. Effective April 19th, all residents over 16 will be eligible for vaccination! Learn more about eligibility here.
There are two primary ways to schedule your vaccine:
Yesterday, out of an abundance of caution and following guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the New Jersey Department of Health paused the administration of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine across all vaccination sites in the state. The CDC and the FDA are reviewing data involving six reported cases, among nearly 7 million doses administered, of blood clots in women between the ages of 18 and 48 who received the J&J vaccine. These adverse events appear to be extremely rare, and authorized vaccines remain safe and effective. The state will work with all vaccination sites previously administering the J&J vaccine to make arrangements for the administration of an alternative two-dose vaccine. Learn more about where, how, and when you can get vaccinated at the state's Frequently Asked Questions page. You can reach the state vaccine hotline at 855-568-0545 between 8:00am and 8:00pm daily to speak to a trained operator. You may also contact the state online for assistance here. American Rescue Plan & FEMA Funeral Assistance Last month, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package to defeat the virus, energize our economy, and clear our communities to reopen. The IRS has now distributed the vast majority of $1,400 relief payments to workers and families in need. Millions of social security recipients and non-tax filers are finally getting their owed relief after my colleagues and I demanded swift action. If you are experiencing issues receiving your stimulus check, please reach out to my Paterson office anytime at 973-523-5152 for assistance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has begun accepting applications the funeral assistance program created under the American Rescue Plan. If you paid for funeral expenses in the United States for someone whose death was likely the result of COVID-19 after January 20, 2020, you may be eligible for up to $9,000 in assistance to cover those costs. Learn more here. Additionally, this week, Governor Murphy signed into law four measures providing $75 million in federal relief for businesses across our state hit hardest by the pandemic. This includes $15 million in relief aid for arts and cultural venues, $35 million in relief for restaurants, $15 million in relief for small businesses, and $10 million in relief for child care providers. Unemployment The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) has distributed more than $25.6 billion in benefits since the start of the pandemic, with over 2 million New Jerseyans submitting initial claims in that period. Last month, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan which extends until September the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program providing benefits to unemployed gig workers, as well as the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program offering weekly $300 federal benefits. These critical programs help keep hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans afloat. The American Rescue Plan also enabled most taxpayers to exclude up to $10,200 of unemployment compensation from income taxes. As Chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, I have been pressuring the IRS to send refunds to Americans who reported unemployment compensation on their tax returns before the American Rescue Plan became law. Earlier this month, the IRS confirmed to me that most of those who already filed do not need to file an amended return, and that further refunds owed would be issued via check later this spring and summer. If you are experiencing issues receiving your owed unemployment benefits, please reach out to my Paterson office anytime at 973-523-5152 for assistance. We are facing a global pandemic, and ensuring the safety of all families from COVID-19 and its impact on day-to-day life is my top priority. My office has prepared an informational webpage to ensure workers, families, businesses, and health care providers know their options for relief. For the latest on the coronavirus in New Jersey, check the state’s website at covid19.nj.gov. Finally, in the face of a worldwide pandemic and deteriorating economic conditions, more and more Americans are experiencing mental health issues. The U.S. Census Bureau found that three times as many American adults are facing depression or anxiety amid the pandemic. If you feel overwhelmed or in crisis, please know there are resources and people available to help. New Jersey has set up a free mental health support line. Just call 866.202.HELP or text NJHELP to 51682 for support from 8am to 8pm. You can always reach me and my staff in Washington at 202-225-5751 or New Jersey at 973-523-5152 for assistance or further guidance. Remember, my door is always open to you. We are all in this together. *** Follow along on our social media for the latest on on the COVID-19 pandemic. |
