By Associated Press - Wednesday, December 16, 2020

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts has received federal approval to issue pandemic food benefits for families through the rest of the school year, Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration announced Wednesday.

The administration said the families of more than 500,000 Massachusetts students in remote or hybrid learning environments will resume receiving P-EBT benefits this month.

The benefits cover school meals missed during the months of October and November for families who participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program.

Families with children in a fully remote learning environment will receive $117 a month per child, and children in a hybrid learning environment will receive $58 a month per child.

The Baker administration estimates P-EBT will pump $40 to $60 million a month in federal dollars into the state’s economy.

“COVID-19 has exacerbated food insecurity, especially for children who receive nutrition support in school settings,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders.

The state initially launched its P-EBT program in April while schools were closed from March through June.

It was one of a limited number of states to receive federal approval for September P-EBT benefits and is now among the first to receive approval of the benefit through the end of the school year, the Baker administration said.

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VIRUS BY THE NUMBERS

The number of newly confirmed coronavirus deaths rose by 71 on Wednesday while the number of newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 increased by more than 5,400.

The new deaths pushed the state’s confirmed COVID-19 death toll to 11,261 and its confirmed caseload since the start of the pandemic to more than 292,000.

The true number of cases is likely higher because studies suggest some people can be infected and not feel sick.

There were more than 1,850 people reported hospitalized Wednesday because of confirmed cases of COVID-19, with more than 380 in intensive care units.

The average age of those hospitalized was 67.

The number of probable or confirmed COVID-19 deaths reported in long-term care facilities rose to 7,072.

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PANDEMIC-SNOWSTORM

Massachusetts is used to dealing with heavy snowstorms, but the coronavirus isn’t helping.

State Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said Wednesday that some state and local public works officials are facing snowplow driver shortages due to the pandemic.

With fewer snowplow operators on the road, some snow clearing efforts could be slowed, Pollack said.

Governor Charlie Baker urged anyone who can work from home on Thursday to do so. Many people have been working remotely for months due to the pandemic.

“We’re obviously asking people to stay off the roads,” the Republican said during a Statehouse press conference Wednesday. “People should take it slow.”

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker also said that those who have scheduled a COVID-19 test for Thursday morning should contact their provider to see if they need to reschedule for Friday.

In one respect, coronavirus precautions could help in the storm cleanup.

Baker said the height of the storm will arrive in Massachusetts when most people should already be at home under the state’s existing COVID-19 stay-at-home advisory from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

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