Biden's National Strategy for Covid-19 response

Just scrolled through the 200 pages doc. 'National US Strategy for Covid-19 response and pandemic preparedness" I copied a few extracts to give you an idea how much money is involved in making workplace/transport Covid-safe. You can read the whole doc on the White House website [some weekend reading for the fanatics! ]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/priorities/covid-19/



"Guarantee full access to FEMA disaster relief and emergency assistance for K-12 schools. The President issues a Presidential Memorandum, Extend Federal Support to Governors’ Use of National Guard to Respond to COVID-19 and to Increase Reimbursement and other Assistance Provided to States, directing FEMA to authorize and guarantee full access to disaster relief and emergency assistance for K-12 schools under the Stafford Act. This order directs FEMA to fully reimburse states, local governments, territories and tribes for eligible costs. In the coming weeks, FEMA, in consultation with ED and CDC, will work with states and local governments to utilize disaster relief funds to address barriers to school reopening, including purchase of masks and sanitizing products, as well as necessary emergency changes to school ventilation." (p. 81)

"Help small businesses with the costs of operating safely. The recent COVID-19 supplemental package provided an additional $285 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program to provide loans to small businesses. The United States will, to the extent possible under the law, prioritize these funds for businesses hardest hit by the pandemic. These loans will help small businesses cover the costs of operating safely, including physical changes to the workplace, sanitizing supplies, and PPE" (p. 91)

"Restore FEMA reimbursement for sanitizing public transit. Public transit is essential for many Americans, and the cost of ensuring that it is safe to use public transportation during the pandemic has been substantial. Local governments’ ability to receive support through FEMA disaster relief was rescinded last year, intensifying the budget crunch that state and local governments are experiencing, and threatening the safety of public transit passengers. Through Presidential Memorandum Extend Federal Support to Governors’ Use of National Guard to Respond to COVID-19 and to Increase Reimbursement and other Assistance Provided to States, President Biden restored funding for these vital sanitation services for states, local governments, tribes and territories.(p. 92)