My team and I continue to monitor the ongoing situation with COVID-19 closely. We are in contact with officials from the White House, CDC, FDA, HHS, and other agencies on a daily basis. Additionally, officials from Governor McMaster’s administration are working closely with local and state health officials to keep the public up to date on the latest with the virus.  

Because the situation is developing by the day, I want to make sure people in the Upstate have access to the latest information, best practices , and recommendations that our leading health professionals are providing.

COVID-19 Resources

Centers for Disease Control

• The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a helpful summary regarding COVID-19, as well as updated guidance and suggestions on best practices. They are updating the page as the situation develops.  
• summary.html

SC Department of Health and Environmental Control

• The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has state specific coronavirus information. This includes information for travelers, monitoring and testing, and current press releases. 
• coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19 

Food and Drug Administration

• The United States Food and Drug Administration is consistently updating its coronavirus issues page with recent briefings and newsletters. 
• https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-issues/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19 

Small Business Administration

• South Carolina has been declared eligible for disaster assistance loans from the Small Business Administraion. You can apply for these loans here.
• The recently passed CARES Act created a new Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses and non-profits to maintain their payrolls. You can find information on the new program here.
• SBA's COVID-19 resources page can be found here.

IRS Direct Payment Status

• Many Americans have begun to receive their Economic Impact Payments. If you have not received your payment yet, you can visit the IRS’ Get My Payment portal, which allows you to check your payment status, payment type, and provide your bank account information for your Economic Impact Payment.
• If you have questions about the Get My Payment tool, please click HERE. 
• If you have general questions about the payments, such as eligibility, please click HERE. If you do not typically file taxes, you can enter your bank information HERE to receive your payment through direct deposit.

Apple

• In partnership with the White House, FEMA, and the CDC, Apple has developed a screening tool for COVID-19. You can access it on their website here or by downloading their mobile app.

South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce

• Apply for unemployment benefits here.

Department of Health and Human Services

• On March 4, 2020, Congress passed a bill to provide $8.3 billion in resources to improve testing, treatment, and prevention of COVID-19 across the country. You can monitor the resources being deployed to each state, including South Carolina, here.
• https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2020/03/11/cdc-funding-information.html

PRISMA

• Prisma Health has provided general COVID-19 health and safety information, as well as a link for a free online visit: https://www.prismahealth.org/coronavirus/ 
• Prisma Health has an online symptom checker that is free and available to everyone, not just Prisma patients. Click here to access the symptom checker:  https://www.prismahealth.org/coronavirus/

Bon Secours

• Bon Secours has provided COVID-19 information and resources on their website. Bon Secours also has an app, Bon Secours 24/7, that allows Bon Secours patients to connect directly with a medical provider by mobile phone or computer.
• https://www.bonsecours.com/bon-secours-monitoring-coronavirus-covid-19

Internet Assistance

• Low-income households in South Carolina may qualify for free or discounted internet services, computers, mobile plans, and phones. Learn more by clicking here.

USC School of Medicine Library

• USC School of Medicine has put together a plethora of links and resources concerning the USC system, its students, and its campuses.
• https://uscmed.sc.libguides.com/coronavirus 

Medical University of South Carolina

• The Medical University of South Carolina is offering free virtual screening and also updating this page regularly.
• https://web.musc.edu

Directory of Public Health Resources by State

• If you are worried about friends and family outside of South Carolina, the National Association of City and Health Officials has created a helpful directory of each state's local health departments. Simply click on the state you are interested in and find the appropriate health department or option. 
• https://www.naccho.org/membership/lhd-directory 

Teaching and Learning Resources

• SC Remote Learning: Educators at the S.C. Department of Education have developed remote learning resources that can be used by teachers across all grade levels.
• Library of Congress: Digital Resources for Students from the Library of Congress
• Smithsonian Institution: Digital Resources for Students from the Smithsonian Institution

United Way of Greenville County

• United Way of Greenville County has a webpage listing resources available in the community. They also have a 2-1-1 hotline, now available 24/7 to direct those in need to information and resources regarding where to find food, shelter, access to healthcare and transportation. Simply dial 2-1-1 to get connected.

Google

• Google has put together a helpful website which has compiled data, news, and many other resources to help combat the spread of COVID-19. This can be accessed here.

National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) COVID-19 Financial Security Hub

• NAIFA is providing consumers with information to avoid scams, tips on who to contact regarding health claims/questions, as well as how to find licensed, knowledgeable, ethical individuals to assist with financial security planning. Find their assistance page here.

Congressional Research Service 

• The Congressional Research Service has put together dozens of reports focused on the global issues, economic issues, and public health in regards to the Cororavirus. These reports can be accessed here.
• The Congressional Research Service is a division of the Library of Congress which provides Congress and the American public with objective, nonpartisan, authoritative and timely research and analysis.