Pallone Announces New Jersey will Receive Over $20 Million to Protect Vulnerable Patients and Health Care Workers from COVID-19

Press Release

Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today announced that New Jersey will receive over $20 million to protect vulnerable patients and health care workers from infectious diseases, including COVID-19. As Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Pallone included the funding in the American Rescue Plan that passed the House and was signed into law in March 2021.

The state will receive $11.8 million to staff, train, and deploy strike teams to assist skilled nursing facilities, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities with known or suspected COVID-19 outbreaks. The strike teams provide surge capacity for clinical services and staffing as well as strengthen infection prevention and control activities to prevent, detect, and contain outbreaks, including support for COVID-19 vaccinations.

New Jersey will also receive $8.6 million to strengthen infection control and prevention. The funding can be used to detect, track, and contain infectious diseases and assist health care workers in preventing infections in health care settings.

"I'm pleased to see that funding from the American Rescue Plan is making its way to our state to ensure that we have the resources necessary to protect the highest-risk communities. This funding will allow the state to help protect vulnerable patients in nursing homes by establishing and deploying strike teams, managing outbreaks, and assisting with clinical care, infection control, and staffing," Pallone said. "It will also help health care workers identify infectious diseases in health care settings to protect frontline workers and patients. This public health crisis requires robust federal funding, and I'm glad to see that New Jersey is getting the support it needs."

Issues: Health

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