Rescue Plan Brings $16-M To Del. For COVID Vax Efforts

Delaware’s COVID-19 vaccination program is getting a big boost through the American Rescue Plan Act.

Members of Delaware’s Congressional Delegation visited Christiana Care Monday to detail how Delaware’s $16-million share of the package will support ongoing efforts to vaccinate more Delawareans. It helps to pay for supplies, testing and other expenses and functions with the goal of speeding up vaccine distribution and administration.

“The COVID-19 vaccine distribution is the largest public health response in our state’s history,” Delaware Health and Social Services Secretary Molly Magarik said. “Vaccinating hundreds of thousands of Delawareans against this deadly disease takes painstaking organization across the government and health care sectors. This effort also requires increased federal funding to plan and staff the clinics, document the vaccinations and promote the vaccine with the public. For those reasons and many others, we are grateful to the Congressional Delegation for supporting the vaccine distribution in our state through increased federal funding in the American Rescue Plan Act.”

“This funding for vaccines, testing, and contact tracing is critical for slowing the spread of COVID-19. We quickly surpassed President Biden’s goal of 100 million vaccines in 100 days,” Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del. said. “This funding is crucial for sustaining the progress we’ve made in vaccine distribution. I’m proud to join Senators Carper and Coons to highlight this funding. I am proud of the work we did on the American Rescue Plan and am grateful for the Administration’s leadership as we recover, rebuild, and restore our nation. I encourage every Delawarean, especially now that everyone 16 and older is eligible, to get their vaccine when they have the chance to help protect our communities and move toward a healthier future.”