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COVID-2019 Resource Guide

Georgia Relief and Recovery

Need-to-know information for Georgia families, small businesses, and employees

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.

Georgia’s Stay-At-Home Order:

What You Need to Know

Overview

  • 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.

Georgia School Closures

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.

Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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

Public Health Information

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.

What to Do if You’re Sick

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.

How You Can Help Us Fight Back

If you are healthy and want to make a difference for other Georgians during the pandemic, you can sign up as a medical volunteer at this link. You can also find and donate to food banks in your area by following this link.

Reopening the Economy, The CARES Act, Unemployment, Small Business Relief, and the Paycheck Protection Program

Reopening the Economy

White House Guidelines for Opening Up America Again

CARES Act Breakdown: Where the COVID-19 Stimulus Money Is Headed

  • 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

Who Qualifies for a Rebate Check, When Will They Come, and What You Need to Do to Get Yours

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.

Small Business Loan Eligibility

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.

What You Need to Know About the Paycheck Protection Program

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.

How to Apply for Unemployment in Georgia

If you are unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you can apply for unemployment here. If you want to keep working and are able, you can see what companies are hiring using this link.

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