As NH Marks One Year Since COVID-19 Reached Granite State, Shaheen Reflects on Resilience of Communities & Frontline Workers

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement as New Hampshire marks one year since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the Granite State:

“One year ago today, I met with state and federal officials to discuss and announce the alarming news that the coronavirus had reached New Hampshire. From that day until now, 1,170 Granite Staters have been taken by this virus, more than 75,500 have been afflicted and scores more have suffered from the devastating impact of the pandemic. New Hampshire families have experienced job loss, food insecurity, homelessness, a lack of internet access that impeded education and other critical services, and simply have been unable to see and hold those they love. The ripple effect of the pandemic has at times felt all encompassing. We have endured a dark year, but we have endured it together. We have seen how Granite Staters continued to show up for each other, whether it was health care providers, first responders or grocery workers risking their health to help others and keep our communities going, or good Samaritans looking out for neighbors who couldn’t safely leave their homes to get necessary supplies.”

Shaheen continued, “I’ve met with those on the frontlines and listened to them about what they need to get to the other side of this crisis. As I did with the CARES Act and recent COVID-19 relief legislation, I am sharing those concerns with Congress, and now President Biden. I will fight to ensure this new assistance package responds to their needs, from small business owners struggling to keep workers on payroll to mayors and town managers stretching budgets to the limit to avoid dangerous cuts that our communities can’t afford in the middle of a crisis. It has been one year since the pandemic reached New Hampshire and we aren’t out of the woods yet, but I will work to provide our communities the resources they’re calling for to survive these challenging times and find the road to recovery.”

Senator Shaheen is a member of the bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers that has steered negotiations of COVID-19 relief. The recent COVID-19 relief bill signed into law in December contained Shaheen-negotiated legislation that provided urgently needed assistance to American students, families, businesses, workers and health care providers impacted by the public health and economic crises. Senator Shaheen had a similar leadership role as a negotiator for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law last March and secured New Hampshire an initial $1.25 billion to assist with COVID-19 response efforts. Shaheen helped lead negotiations of the CARES provisions to assist small businesses and established the Paycheck Protection Program and expanded the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program. Both of these programs have been lifelines for businesses throughout New Hampshire and the country. 

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