Governor’s update on COVID-19 response

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance is available for eligible Mississippians.

ELIGIBLE TO COLLECTUNEMPLOYMENT.

TODAY THE GOVERNORANNOUNCED ANEXPANSION TO THE LIST OF THOSEWHO CACOLLECT FOR BEING OUT OF WORK.16 WAPT'S SCOTT SIMMONS COVEREDTHEGOVERNOR'S NEWS CONFERENCE ANDJOINSUS LIVE AT FIVE FROM DOWNTOWNJACKSON.

IT IS A MAJOR EXPANSION BECAUSEIT NOW WIDENS THE DOOR FOR THOSEWHO HAD PREVIOUSLYBEED TURNED DOWN FOR ASSISTANCIT'S CALLED THE PANDEMICUNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.IT PROVIDES ANOTHER CHANCE FORTHOSE WHOHAVE BEEN TURNED DOWN TO COLLECT600DOLLARS A WEEK.THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OFEMPLOYMENT SECURITY SAYS IF YOUHAVE FILEDAND WERE TURNED DOWN YOU DO NOTHAVETO FILE AGAIN ...BUT YOU DO NEEDTO FOLLOWBACK UP EACH WEEK BECAUSE OF THENEWCRITERIA.

SO IF YOU ARE SELF EMPLOYED...INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS,PERSONS EMPLOYED BY A CHURCH ORRELIGIOUS ENTITY,EMPLOYEES OF NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONS, GIG ECONOMYWORKERS, THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVESUFFICIENT WAGES IN COVEREDEMPLOYMENT DURING THE LAST 18MONTHS TO ESTABLISH A CLAIMUNDER REGULAR UNEMPLOYMENTCOMPENSATION, AND THOSE WHOBECAME UNEMPLOYED OR PARTIALLYUNEMPLOYED AS A RESULT OF THEPANDEMIC... YOUMAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR PANDEMICUNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENTSECURITY SAYS IT IS EXPANDINGTHE NUMBER OF PHONE OPERATORSTAKING CLAIMS FROM 50 TO 250...BUT THERE ARE STILLCOMPLAINTS ABOUTGETTING SOMEONE TO ANSWER THEIRCLAIMS. THE PHONE NUMBER TO CALL IS1-833-919-0334.THE STATE SAYS IT IS ANINCREDIBLY HIGHAMOUNT OF CALL VOLUME.

A TYPICALWEEK BEFORE THE PANDEMIC SAW TSTATE PAYING OUT A MILLIONDOLLARS A WEEK.JUST THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THISWEEK SAW72 MILLION IN PAYOUTS AND THATIS EXPECTEDTO GO UP.LIVE IN JACKSON SCOTT SIMMONS 16WAPT NEWS.

STATE HEALTH LEADERS SAY THEYWILL BE EXPANDING TESTING INCOMMUNITIES AT HIGHERRISK OF GETTING COVID- 19...THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPIMEDICALCENTER RECENTLY SET UP A ONE DAYMOBILETESTING SITE AT JACKSON STATEUNIVERSITY..ANOTHER ONE DAY TESTING SITE ISSCHEDULED TO BE SET UP ATTOUGALOOCOLLEGE -- ..HEALTH EXPERTS SAY THEIR GOALFROM THESE TESTING SITES -- TOMAKE SURE AFRICANAMERICANS ARE EDUCATED ON THISDEADLY VIRUSACCORDING TO HEALTH OFFICERS --117 OUT OFTHE 183 DEATHS ARE IN BLACKMISSISSIPPIANSOBVIOUS REASONS BECAUSE IT ISTHNUMBER ONE DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPTHAT HAS BEEN IMPACTEDKBUT ALSO TOO BECAUSE OF THESEHISTORIC HEALTH DISPARITIES ANDHOW VUNERABLE SOME OF THESECOMMUNITIES ARE.

IT IS REALLYOURJOB TO BE ABLE TO REACH THEM ASMUCH AS WE CAN.UMMC IS ALSO OPENING MOBILETESTING SITES IN OTHER COUNTIESTHIS WEEK ..THOSE COUNTIES ARE LISTED HEREON YOURSCREEN.THE SITES ARE BY APPOINTMENTONLYFROM 9 A-M TO 4 P-M.

THE STATES REVENUE FROM THEMISSISSI