The U.S. has reached a new high of over 18 million coronavirus (COVID-19) infections according to NBC News. This milestone comes as Department of Labor data from last week shows 885,000 people applied for unemployment benefits. Weekly U.S.jobless claims typically numbered about 225,000. The skyrocketing number of current claims indicates economic stress and job insecurity. The number of people recieving traditional state unemployment benefits have fallen to 5.5 million. While some people have returned to work, many have exhausted state benefits.
The U.S. Congress has just passed a “combined omnibus spending bill and virus relief package, which includes $600 stimulus checks” and $300 weekly federal unemployment benefits according to U.S. News and World Report”. The weekly unemployment benefits will start after Dec. 26 and expire by March 2021. “The bill provides “$900 billion in emergency coronavirus relief in addition to a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill to fund the government through late next year.” It is the second largest stimulus bill in American. history. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned “the next three to six months will likely be painful for the unemployed and small businesses as pandemic cases spike”.The U.S. death toll already exceeds 319,000 as Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being distributed under emergency authorizations.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan warned us about COVID-19 during his message, “The Criterion”, and during recent remarks at the All Virtual African/Black Leadership Summit. “Blacks don’t need a Pfizer vaccine, they need healthy food, proper medical treatment, vitamin D and the healing properties of the sun”, said Minister Farrakhan according to an article in the Final Call News “Don’t fear losing a job or being denied school because of refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine,” he said. “Do for yourself and create your own education system, which you have the expertise and knowledge to do” said the Minister.
