The FREE Covid-19 Vaccine is now available to every American 12 years and up – please, sign-up here to get vaccinated in Virginia or call (877) VAX-IN-VA / (877) 829-4682.

Please continue to follow updated CDC Guidelines on mask wearing and social distancing. For additional information and resources, visit https://covid.virginia.gov/ or dial 2-1-1

We have come so far and lost so much in the year since this pandemic began. We have lost almost 700,000 of our fellow citizens to Covid-19, millions have lost their jobs and all of our lives have been completely upended. Here in Fairfax and Prince Williams Counties we have had more than 120,000 infections and lost more than 1,500 of our neighbors. The Delta variant puts a continued strain on our health care systems, schools, and businesses – please remain considerate, social distance when possible, mask indoors, get the free vaccine if you haven’t yet, and get a booster if you need one.

But we are now well on our way to recovering. Congress recently passed the American Rescue Plan, which includes billions in funding to make vaccines quickly and easily available for free to every American, especially in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, as well as expanding COVID testing and PPE for frontline and workers. The Rescue Plan is also the largest anti-poverty initiative since the 1960s. When fully implemented, it will boost the average household income of the bottom 20% by up to 33%, and cut child poverty in half. Already, the bill has given working families $1,400 per person while expanding paid leave, unemployment benefits, child and earned income tax credits for millions of Americans across the country. 

The expanded Paycheck Protection Program has provided nearly 8 million loans totaling $703 billion, including 50,000 businesses in Virginia that have received $3.9 billion in loans. Northern Virginia localities are projected to receive roughly $1 billion over the next two years in direct government and school system assistance as a result of the American Rescue Plan. Prince William County will receive $92 million for the local government and $89 million for the local school system, and Fairfax County will receive $224 million for the local government and $179 million for schools.

Much of this funding is targeted to the most vulnerable individuals and communities among us, who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. The American Rescue Plan makes sure that everyone will have access to a free vaccine, as well as the resources and support they need to rebuild and succeed going forward. 

These are massive, desperately needed investments that will jump-start the economy here in the 11th Congressional District and across the country. 

Again, if you have not yet signed-up or received your free Covid-19 vaccine, please do so now. We need everyone to get vaccinated in order to stop this pandemic.  Please, sign-up here to get vaccinated in Virginia or call (877) VAX-IN-VA / (877) 829-4682.

Next Issue --

Racial Justice