Some help for businesses affected by COVID-19 is currently available

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Androscoggin Valley Chamber of Commerce issued the following communication from U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's office regarding the impact of the coronavirus on New Hampshire businesses.

Shaheen's office reported on Tuesday that the state of New Hampshire has received its first emergency aid allocation of $4.9 million towards health services and response and has received guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor for utilizing unemployment insurance for workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Additionally, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved $2 million in Economic Injury Disaster Loans that will be available to New Hampshire businesses as soon as the state submits a disaster declaration to the SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance.

Sen. Shaheen's office said that she is pushing for additional immediate aid packages including packages for students, businesses and New Hampshire’s workforce.

In the meantime, businesses are encouraged to monitor state issued communication for guidance on business operations and the Center for Disease Control’s website for guidance. The current recommendation is to minimize community spread as much as possible in order to prevent our health-care system from being overwhelmed and to shield our most vulnerable citizens from infection as long as possible.

Shaheen’s office is asking that businesses keep the senator and the other congressional delegates as well as the state informed on business impact situations.

Shaheen is currently working on aid packages and needs to know the latest information here.

The state needs to hear it as well since much of the aid will come in the form of state allocations and they need to cater their efforts accordingly.

Additionally, the senator’s office encourages businesses to keep records of costs and losses related to the COVID-19 virus in preparation for upcoming aid packages in order to be ready to demonstrate need when going for relief funding.

The SBA lenders may ask for this record as well for the above package.

As the situation is changing by the minute. For the latest information, go to cdc.gov, dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/cdcs/2019-ncov-updates.htm, Dial 2-1-1, and nh.gov/covid19.