Senator John Kennedy tells WWL First News that it’s clear to him the number of coronavirus cases in the state has ‘plateaued’. He also says the demand for ventilators tapered-off. He contributes that, to people staying home and the ventilators sent by the federal government.
“With the additional ventilators we got from the president we have around 1800 to 2000 in the state, and I don’t think at any point we've used more than fifty percent,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy says the federal government has sent out $50 billion of the $350 billion stimulus money. He also says the IRS will send out checks sometime this week and money is sent to the state to pay the massive number of unemployment claims but warns people waiting for those checks, need to be patient.
“The state is not geared-up,” said Kennedy. “They don’t have the software to handle this kind of volume, the federal government sent them the money but we are going to have to be patient with the unemployment programs because they are just overwhelmed.”Kennedy warns like coronavirus efforts, it is just as critical to restarting the economy.
“The money is starting to flow,” said Kennedy. “The coronavirus can kill you, it won’t kill most of us, it is a small percentage but it can kill you, but poverty can kill you too and we need to get this economy back up and going.”