Congressman Chris Smith was one of 44 Republicans in the House of Representatives to vote in favor of the $2000 stimulus checks today. The measure, which was demanded by President Trump last week, passed on the House floor, 275-134.
TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey’s veterans homes have been among the hardest hit places in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now we have more insight into the reasons behind the severity of the outbreaks, and it doesn’t reflect well on the Murphy Administration.
Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) issued a statement following news that New Jersey had missed a federal deadline to begin long-term care vaccinations yesterday.
What could be more important for state government to be doing than starting vaccination of our elderly, 7,100 who have already died, on the first day? This is the biggest fail of the COVID response in New Jersey. There must be a better explanation than we missed it by a day! https://t.co/WTSMInBJqq
Kim Guadagno is still cutting red tape while she is feeding thousands
photo via pixnio
By Art Gallagher
N.J. Looks to Award $2 Million to Buy Meals from Struggling Restaurants– A $2 million state program to provide $100,000 grants to organizations that purchase meals from restaurants impacted by the pandemic and distribute them at no cost to New Jersey residents has begun taking applications. Applications are due by Jan. 8. Click here for more information. (ROI-NJ)
I got excited when I read the above headline and lede in yesterday’s NJ Chamber of Commerce’s daily Coronavirus and Economic Recovery Update.
The RAINE Foundation immediately occurred to me as an organization that could spring to action and support local businesses while feeding those struggling to put food on the table. In my mind I was thinking of other community organizations and restaurants that could participate.
My enthusiasm quickly dissipated when I clicked through to Business.NJ.Gov and read the fine print. There’s the usual hoops to jump through for government work–proving your entity is registered with the state and has no outstanding tax issues. But there’s one big obstacle that would probably knock my friends at RAINE, the Highlands Business Partnership, Middletown Helps Its Own and other non-profits from participating in the NJ Economic Development Authority’s grant program.
Public health officials have repeatedly underscored the importance of protecting vulnerable nursing-home residents from the potentially deadly impacts of the coronavirus, given that nearly half of New Jersey’s confirmed COVID-19 fatalities involve long-term-care residents or staff.
After months of planning and development, the first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines is slated to arrive in New Jersey any day, providing a new level of protection for health care workers and nursing home residents most at risk for the disease.
As federal experts determined that “known and potential benefits” outweigh the related risks when it comes to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, New Jersey officials are poised in the coming weeks to launch their part of what is likely the largest immunization campaign in history.
Once the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gives its approval, which is expected Thursday, hospitals could begin vaccinating staff within 24 to 72 hours, Health Department officials said
New Jersey health officials said they are confident that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, based on the information they have reviewed, and hope hospitals could start immunizing the most at-risk individuals within a few days of it receiving federal approval.
With New Jersey slated to receive its first 76,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine any day now, public health officials are finalizing their plans for immunizing priority groups, and hospitals are preparing to store and administer the serum.
