A new program aimed at providing financial assistance for funerals in COVID-related deaths opened on April 12.
The program, which has no deadline, will provide financial assistance for COVID-related funeral expenses that were incurred after Jan. 20, 2020. People may apply for assistance by calling 844-684-6333, or 800-462-7585 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
To be eligible for assistance, people must show that the death occurred in the United States and that the applicant is a US citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien. The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID. There is no requirement for the deceased to have been a US citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien.
People may also visit fema.gov/funeral-assistance/faq to find answers for questions about the program.
On April 16, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced another variant has been identified in Nebraska. The B.1.351 variant, also known as the South Africa variant, was found in Lancaster County.
Although the variant has been spreading throughout the country, it is identified less frequently than the other variants, officials noted in a press release from DHHS. Officials urge people to get vaccinated to slow the spread of COVID-19 and its variants. Panhandle residents 18 and older may schedule a time to receive the vaccine by registering on vaccinate.ne.gov. After completing the registration, citizens of Box Butte and Grant Counties may schedule a time on https://tinyurl.com/25mwaapu or at safeway.com.
Officials with COVID-19 Unified Command confirmed 26 more cases of COVID-19 in the Panhandle: seven in Box Butte County, eight in Dawes County, one in Morrill County, eight in Scotts Bluff County and two in Sheridan County. To date, Box Butte County has seen a total of 927 cases, nine of which have resulted in death. Only seven cases have been confirmed in the county in the past 14 days.