MONDAY DOSE OF INFO: VACCINE ELIGIBILITY & FEMA COVID-19 FUNERAL ASSISTANCE

Dear Friends, 

As I shared last week, starting March 15th, eligible groups for vaccination have expanded to include people aged 16-64 who have underlying health conditions or disabilities, as their conditions put them at the highest risk of becoming very sick from COVID-19. As of today, the following groups are eligible: 

• Healthcare workers 
• Long-term care and skilled nursing facility residents and staff
• Education & childcare 
• Emergency services
• Food and agriculture 
• Janitorial, custodial and maintenance services 
• Transportation and logistics
• Congregate living spaces and people experiencing homelessness
• Residents 65 years and older
• Residents 16-64 with underlying health conditions or disabilities

Persons who are newly eligible and qualify for a COVID-19 vaccine due to a medical condition should note that during registration for a vaccine appointment, they will be asked to state that they have a high-risk medical condition or disability. 

To protect confidentially, they will not be asked to disclose the specific condition. 

People getting vaccinated must provide documentation at all appointments with either a letter from a healthcare provider, a personal physician or an agency providing services or, if not available, the eligible person or their caretaker will be asked to sign an attestation. 

All eligible persons will also need to provide identification (government ID not required) and proof that they live within LA County at their appointment.

FEMA COVID-19 FUNERAL ASSISTANCE

The pandemic has devastated community members who for the past year have grieved the loss of family, friends and loved ones lost to COVID-19. In an effort to ease the financial burden of the virus, FEMA will provide financial assistance for COVID-19-related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.

Who is Eligible?

To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions:

• The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
• The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
• The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
• There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

How to Apply:

In April, FEMA will begin accepting applications. If you had COVID-19 funeral expenses, we encourage you to keep and gather documentation. Types of information should include:

• An official death certificate that attributes the death directly or indirectly to COVID-19 and shows that the death occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
• Funeral expenses documents (receipts, funeral home contract, etc.) that includes the applicant’s name, the deceased person’s name, the amount of funeral expenses, and the dates the funeral expenses happened.
• Proof of funds received from other sources specifically for use toward funeral costs. We are not able to duplicate benefits received from burial or funeral insurance, financial assistance received from voluntary agencies, government agencies, or other sources.

NEW COMMUNITY COVID VACCINATION CENTER COMES TO SOUTHEAST LA!

Today marks a new beginning for communities in Southeast Los Angeles (SELA)! I am thrilled to share that we have launched a new community COVID vaccine center in partnership with JWCH Institute, Inc. at the Bell Community Center. 

The opening of this site at the will ensure that residents and workers from the communities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, Huntington Park, Maywood, South Gate, Walnut Park, and Vernon have equitable access to the vaccine.

CONNECT WITH MY STAFF