COVID-19 is changing our daily lives drastically. This global pandemic has undermined public safety and disrupted our economy on a massive scale — with the livelihoods of many Georgians at risk.
Staying informed, following the most recent public health guidelines, and making sure you take advantage of the relief available is crucial as we work to keep our loved ones healthy and open the doors of local businesses.
What You Need to Know
President Trump took action late on August 8th, to sign executive orders unilaterally addressing coronavirus stimulus spending after negotiations with congressional Democrats stalled again on Friday, which was a self-imposed deadlines for the two sides to reach agreement.
The President’s actions include:
- Signing a presidential memorandum to provide temporary payroll tax relief for American families who have been hard hit by the coronavirus.
- Ensuring Americans who have lost their jobs and want nothing more than to return to work have the unemployment benefits they need during this crisis.
- Signing an executive order to help ensure Americans facing financial hardships due to coronavirus do not face eviction or foreclosure.
- Signing a presidential memorandum to provide student loan relief for Americans who have faced financial harm due to coronavirus.
- Timing
- The order took effect: April 3rd
- End date: at least April 30
- Overview:
- Georgians can exercise outside as long as they stay at least 6 feet apart.
- People should not entertain visitors.
- Essential businesses will remain open, including: laundromats, dry cleaners, home construction, hardware stores, defense plants, banks, sawmills, grocery stores, pharmacies, gun stores, and news outlets.
- Businesses that must close:
- Dine-in restaurants, bars, gyms, movie theatres, and all other entertainment venues.
- Non-essential businesses can engage in the following activity:
- Maintaining the value of a business, establishment, corporation, non-profit, or organization by providing services, managing inventory, ensuring security, and processing payroll and employee benefits.
- The minimum necessary activities to allow employees or volunteers to work remotely, or patrons to participate remotely.
- Outdoor work that does not include regular contact with other persons — such as delivery services, landscaping, contracting, and agricultural work.
- The order is enforced by the Georgia National Guard and state, local law enforcement agencies.
You can find the official order here.
As of April 1, all public elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools are closed through the remainder of the school year. If you want to get more detail on your child’s school district, please visit the Georgia Department of Education website.
The safety of Georgia’s families is our top priority as we work to combat the coronavirus in Georgia. Already, we have taken significant steps to address the threat of COVID-19, and we are working to leverage every federal and state resource to keep our fellow Georgians healthy.
– Senator Kelly Loeffler
Submit your COVID-19 Hero Nominations: [email protected]
Public Health Resources, COVID-19 Guidelines, and How You Can Help
Accessing reliable and current public health information is critical during this crisis. You can find factual and up to date information on COVID-19 on the Georgia Department of Health’s website, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.
You can find a daily status update on Georgia’s fight against COVID-19 here, and separate fact from fiction easily on FEMA’s coronavirus rumor control page.
If you feel like you are sick or think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please isolate yourself and then follow the steps laid out here. You can also call the COVID-19 hotline at (844) 442-2681. If you need to find the hospital nearest you, use this link.
Reopening the Economy, The CARES Act, Unemployment, Small Business Relief, and the Paycheck Protection Program
- Education – $43.7 billion
- Individual Americans – $560 billion (estimated)
- Private Sector – $500 billion
- Small businesses – $377 billion
- State and local governments – $339.8 billion
- Public health – $153.5 billion
- Safety net – $26 billion
If you are a taxpayer with an adjusted income of less than $75,000 (up to $150,000 for married couples who jointly file), you will receive the full $1200 payment. For every $100 of income above these amounts, the payment will be reduced by $5. Social security recipients and railroad retirees will not be required to file a tax return to be eligible.
If your income is above $99,000 (or $198,000 for joint filers with no children), you are not eligible for the relief payment. If you have any other questions or want more details, you can find an FAQ here.
If you run a small business and want to find out if you’re eligible for a COVID-19 related loan, please visit the COVID-19 guidance page at the Small Businesses Administration’s website here. Businesses that may be eligible include ones with less than 500 employees, sole proprietorships, independent contractors and self-employed persons.
You can apply directly for a COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster loan using this application form.
The Paycheck Protection Program is designed to help small businesses keep their employees on the payroll during this crisis. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will forgive a businesses’ loans if they keep all their employees on payroll for eight weeks. The loan money must be used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. You can find more details here.
To apply for the Paycheck Protection Program’s loan forgiveness click here to download the application form. You’ll need to fill out the application form and submit to your lender.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19.
You may apply for assitance here.
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Kelly Loeffler
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It was an honor to speak with @maggieslist1 last week, including their ...
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[email protected] is a generational athlete and an inspiration to so many. Praying for his speedy recovery 🙏🏻
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I joined @foxandfriends this morning to discuss our mission at @GreaterGeorgia. Together, ...
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Serving our great state has been the honor of my lifetime. Thank ...
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If you’re still in line to vote, stay there! Georgia, it’s time to save our country 🇺🇸
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Georgia — are you ready? It’s time to Hold The Line. It’s time to Save Our Country 🇺🇸 POLLS ARE OPEN UNTIL 7 PM!
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Kelly Loeffler
Do you feel like your voice was heard in the 2020 election? Do ...
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Kelly Loeffler
Kelly Loeffler
Serving our great state has been the honor of my lifetime. Thank ...
Kelly Loeffler
If you’re still in line to vote, stay there! Georgia, it’s time to save our country 🇺🇸
Kelly Loeffler
Georgia — are you ready? It’s time to Hold The Line. It’...
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Kelly Loeffler
Raphael Warnock obstructed a child abuse investigation, celebrated Castro, called police officers “thugs,” and hasn’t done a thing to help Georgians struggling during this pandemic. Georgia, we deserve better. Get out and VOTE today!
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This is Alan Dunn. He’s a veteran who was in the ...
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If you’re our voice TODAY, David Perdue and I will be ...
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It’s a GREAT morning to wave signs! GO VOTE! Then call ...
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