MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont officials are urging interested businesses to sign up quickly for the Paycheck Protection Program, the federal relief fund Congress created to help small businesses through the coronavirus crisis.
A second round of funding was approved last week.
“We are expecting even more speed with which this will get deployed,” Joan Goldstein, commissioner of the Department of Economic Development, said Monday.
Under the program, businesses apply to lenders for funds to bring people back to work or to prevent layoffs, and part of the funds will be forgiven if they are used for payroll.
Businesses that have already applied should make sure they are in the queue by checking with their lender because the system is first come, first served, Goldstein said.
More coronavirus-related developments in Vermont:
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THE NUMBERS
The Vermont Health Department has created a list of coronavirus cases by town. The breakdown on its website gives only the specific number of cases in towns that have at least six.
A range of zero to six is used for towns with fewer than six cases to protect people’s health information in compliance with both federal and Vermont law, the department said. The list is updated weekly.
It shows Burlington has the most with 157 cases, followed by Essex with 47.
The Health Department on Tuesday reported seven new coronavirus cases, for a total of 862. The total number of deaths remained at 47.
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VA HEALTH CARE WORKERS DEPLOYED
Officials say 41 health care workers from the Veterans Administration Healthcare System in White River Junction have volunteered to work in some neighboring states hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Groups including physicians, nurses, an operations manager and carpenters were deployed starting on April 5 to New York City and Bedford, Massachusetts, VA officials said Tuesday. Eighteen registered nurses went to the VA Boston Healthcare system during the week of April 14 and another 12 nurses will be deployed to Boston on Wednesday, officials said.
The assignments require a two-week commitment but many extend that another two weeks, VA officials said.
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CITY FINANCES
The mayor of Burlington is anticipating a dramatic loss in revenue from the economic fallout of the outbreak and says Vermont’s largest city must prepare for a “bad-case scenario” in case federal assistance isn’t available.
Mayor Miro Weinberger said Monday that the city is predicting a $5 million budget shortfall this fiscal year and a $10 million one next year, WCAX-TV reported.
He said he’s hopeful Congress will include funding for states and municipalities in its next big virus relief bill but said that in the meantime, the city will develop a budget without it.
“If we don’t get it, we will have very serious cuts that we will have no choice but to make. I think we have to plan for the worst, or if not the very worst, a least a bad case, while still hoping with some optimism for better,” he said.
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ABOUT THE VIRUS
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with underlying health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.
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