Here's what's in the latest Senate-passed coronavirus relief package that the House will be likely voting to pass tomorrow:
$310 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, which will allow the SBA to continue providing forgivable loans to cover the cost of payroll and operating expenses for small businesses. This means dollars will resume flowing to our small businesses.
$60 billion for the Small Business Administration’s economic injury disaster loans and grants, including:
$50 billion for economic injury disaster loans - each loan can be up to $2 million with interest rates not to exceed 4% and long-term repayment periods of up to 30 years
$10 billion for grants of up to $10,000 that do not have to be repaid.
$75 billion to support our frontline health care workers, including additional funding to reimburse hospitals and healthcare providers for lost revenues and expenses related to the outbreak.
$25 billion to expand COVID-19 testing, which will speed efforts to control the outbreak, reopen our economy and get people back to work.
Here's an update from the state on its response to COVID-19 outbreaks in food processing facilities. There are currently outbreaks at food processing facilities in two NC-7 counties — Bladen and Duplin — as well as three additional outbreaks at facilities in Chatham, Lee and Robeson counties. An outbreak is defined as two or more positive cases. The state has issued guidance to help protect workers at food processing facilities, which includes steps like pre-screening workers for fever and requiring workers to wear face masks.
The Town of Oak Island has announced that, effective 6 a.m. on Friday, its beaches will reopen for exercise only. No chairs, tables, towels, umbrellas, coolers or food will be permitted on the beach. Individuals participating in exercise activities will have to abide by strict social distancing measures. More info on Oak Island's website here.
The FDA has authorized the use of the first at-home COVID-19 test. The test is manufactured by North Carolina-based LabCorp. Once patients self-swab to collect their nasal sample, they mail their sample, in an insulated package, to a LabCorp lab for testing. LabCorp intends to make the home test kits available to consumers, with a doctor's order, in the coming weeks. More info from the FDA here.
In coordination with the FDA, the Red Cross is seeking people who are fully recovered from the new coronavirus to sign up to donate plasma to help current COVID-19 patients. More information, as well as eligibility details, is available from the Red Cross here.
North Carolina has received federal approval to waive certain Medicaid regulations to give NC Medicaid more flexibility to treat beneficiaries during the COVID-19 crisis. The changes include removing certain dollar and stay limits, expanding the type of location where services can be delivered and easing requirements for reviews of personalized care plans and in-person meetings.
