California has now approved a pilot plan to pay $1,250 to anyone who tests positive for coronavirus to encourage them to “stay at home and self isolate”.
Alameda County’s Board of Supervisors has set aside $10 million for the program, which will allow payments to 7,500 people, according to the Daily Mail. The program was approved as the county hit a new high in daily coronavirus cases and as California continues to “struggle” to contain the outbreak in its state.
The program is being “welcomed” by local healthcare providers, who say it’ll help those in working class areas stay at home and not spread the virus by leaving the house.
Andrea Schwab-Galindo, CEO of Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center in Hayward commented: “Literally every single person that we have spoken to through our contract tracing program, they have all asked for either food, help with rent, or access to be enrolled in healthcare. Most people that test positive are usually the members that are out there working and able to do that.”
She continued: “You know, they are construction workers, they are grocery workers, so they are more exposed compared to some of the other family members they are trying to support, including their children.”
Resident Robert Mangrobang also embraced the program, stating: “Yeah, whatever makes it a lot easier for people to deal with this pandemic would be great. Twelve hundred dollars or even more would be ideal for comforting a lot of families.”
In order to qualify for the assistance, people who test positive must not be receiving unemployment or sick leave. Approval for the program will require a referral from one of the five approved clinics in the county. The board hopes the program will assist independent contractors, “people who are paid under the table” and “undocumented workers”.
Alameda County saw a large spike in cases on Wednesday, with 321 new cases reported. This was a new daily record for the county.
The area has a 28% positivity testing rate. For some reason, we bet that number rises.
Republished from ZeroHedge.com with permission
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