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Help get the word out! The latest COVID updates

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Resume McHenry County Update!
Through our collaboration with McHenry County, we will continue to share important information on stimulus programs, PPP loans, COVID-19 updates and more through its Resume McHenry County Updates.
Please take a moment to scroll down to see new advancements this week as we move to open McHenry County. If the MCEDC can be of any help, please call. Forward to your friends and family to help get the word out!

 

 

Help us get the word out!

The McHenry County Department of Health had to turn away 100 people from a Feb. 20 vaccination clinic because they had improperly signed up and were ineligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at this time.
Appointments are scheduled through emails sent by the McHenry County Department of Health to eligible residents, but some recipients have been forwarding the links to people who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine.
If you could, please help us spread the word to inform the public that the health department’s vaccination clinics are by appointment only and that ineligible people will be turned away. Given the current limited supply of vaccine coming into McHenry County, every appointment missed because of an ineligible person applying is a setback to getting our communities immunized, and eventually reaching the final Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois Plan.
The graphic embedded in this article is optimized for Facebook and Instagram; it explains the MCDH’s current immunization priorities, and the importance of following the established guidelines to get vaccinated. The banner at the top of this week’s edition is the exact dimensions for posting to Twitter. Helping us educate the public on the importance of following the rules and waiting your turn will be very much appreciated.
Eligible people in Phases 1a, 1b, and 1c of the state vaccination plan can enroll for an MCDH clinic by filling out an enrollment form HERE, or by calling the county COVID-19 Call Center at 815-334-4045.
McHenry County is making every effort to get residents inoculated, but vaccine supplies are limited. Our county’s share, like other counties, will be significantly reduced for the next several weeks as Illinois prioritizes shipments for those due to receive their second shot. Many of the doses the MCDH receives from the state are shared with its community health partners throughout the county so that eligible recipients have closer and faster access – the remaining doses are utilized by the MCDH for its vaccination clinics.
The health department has also launched a COVID-19 vaccine locator page to help residents become aware of vaccine opportunities in McHenry County, which can be found on this website. The State of Illinois is also partnering with retail pharmacies such as Walgreens and Jewel-Osco to provide COVID-19 vaccinations. Information about where and how to schedule an appointment with these pharmacies is available at coronavirus.Illinois.gov.

 

Smaller businesses prioritized under the latest PPP round

President Joe Biden last week announced changes to the Paycheck Protection Program targeted at helping businesses that had a difficult time applying, or were prohibited from applying, during the first and second round of loans, as well as this current third round.
Only businesses with 20 or fewer employees can apply between now and Wednesday, March 10.
Several eligibility rules changed effective yesterday (Monday, March 1):
  • The loan calculation formula will be changed for independent contractors, sole proprietors, and self-employed individuals to increase their loan amounts. The Biden Administration is setting aside $1 billion for these individuals.
  • The loan calculation formula will be changed as well to increase the loan amounts for small farmers and ranchers, matching the amount previously authorized by Congress.
  • Non-citizen business owners with green cards or who are here on a visa will be about to apply for loans with their Taxpayer Identification Number.
  • Business owners with past, nonfraud, felony convictions, and business owners who have defaulted on student loans, will be able to apply for PPP loans.
Eligible businesses have until March 31 to apply for this latest round.
For more information on these PPP updates, qualifications for first- and second-time borrowers, and the loan forgiveness process, please review the SBA’s website by clicking here. A statement from the White House summarizing these latest changes can be found by clicking here.
You can click here to find a list of SBA-approved participating lenders. Remember that businesses that received PPP loans under previous rounds are also eligible for loans under this new round. It’s advised that said businesses use the same bank for the sake of expediency because many more businesses are eligible with Congress relaxing the criteria.

 

A helping hand for renters

Qualified McHenry County renters who are behind on their rent or utilities because of the COVID-19 pandemic will soon be able to tap into $9.1 million in federal money to keep a roof over their heads and their lights on.
The McHenry County Emergency Utility and Rental Assistance Program has been created to distribute the money, which was allocated through federal COVID-19 stimulus to help renters. The program aims to reduce or eliminate pandemic-related evictions, prevent homelessness, avoid damaged credit that could hurt future housing opportunities for renters, and repair landlord/tenant relationships strained because of lack of payment.
Renters who qualify (and landlords can apply, too) can receive rent and utility assistance for up to six months in arrears, and up to three months in advance. Awarded funds are paid directly to the landlord or the utility company.
Qualifying households must be at or below 80 percent of their area median income – households at 50 percent or lower or that include dependents or seniors 62 years and older will get priority. They also must be able to demonstrate a loss of income or employment as a result of COVID-19. Immigration status is not a factor in determining eligibility.
It is anticipated that the program will be up and running by mid-March, and the goal is to get this money out as quickly as possible. Until then, people who have questions about the program can email McHenryCountyComDev@mchenrycountyil.gov.
As soon as the mechanics are established, we will include them in our newsletter. We’d love for our Resume McHenry County partners to help spread the word so our vulnerable renters learn about this important lifeline.

 

Another COVID-19 town hall meeting coming!

With the opening of the county’s COVID-19 mass vaccination center and ongoing questions and concerns regarding the pace at which people are receiving the vaccine, McHenry County will be hosting a second online town-hall meeting.
The next town-hall meeting will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 23. Like the first one, it will be live-streamed on the Facebook pages of McHenry County government and the McHenry County Department of Health. A Facebook account is not necessary to watch it.
You can click here to watch the original February 9 town-hall. The link includes a list of answers to the most common questions asked of the audience.

 
We hope we got your attention. We need your help reaching more McHenry County residents and businesses to share this important information about the COVID-19 response and connect them with vital resources.
Please take these four steps:
1. Share/forward to your email/newsletter contacts.
2. Post information to your website.
3. Follow us on social media (see below); share our posts with your followers.
4. If you are not on the McHenry County Constant Contact list, please subscribe here

 

Follow McHenry County Government On Social Media

Staying connected and informed is more important now than ever! Follow McHenry County on social media for regular updates on COVID-19 in our region, resources to help you navigate the pandemic, safety tips and more!

 

What is Resume McHenry County?

Resume McHenry County is a collaborative initiative being implemented by McHenry County and the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) in partnership with the McHenry County community, including cities and villages, businesses and residents. The goal is to ensure a successful reopening of our economy so that we can return to our lifestyles safely and responsibly.