Immigrant Mother And Family Suffer With COVID-19 As Teacher Cares For Their Healthy Newborn
(Photo : Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT - MAY 14: Zully holds her infant son Neysel, six weeks, as she and his big brother Junior, 7, meet him for the first time on May 14, 2020 in Stamford, Connecticut. Zully and her family, now all testing Covid-negative, brought Neysel home from Junior's teacher Luciana Lira's house, where she has cared for the baby since his birth. On April 1, Zully, then almost 8 months pregnant, was hospitalized for COVID-19. Staff at Stamford Hospital intubated her and performed an emergency C-section to save the child. The newborn could not join his father Marvin and brother Junior, 7, as they were COVID-19 positive and quarantined. After more than three weeks in a coma at the hospital ICU, Zully responded to antibody blood plasma transfusions and was able to return home. The baby stayed in the temporary care of Lira, a K-5 Bilingual /ESL instructor, for a total of six weeks, until the family recovered and all tested Covid-negative. Lira teaches Junior at Hart Magnet Elementary in Stamford. The Stamford non-for-profit Building One Community (B1C) immigrant resource center has been assisting the Guatemalan family during the ordeal.

As the new COVID-19 relief package is off to Biden's desk, a Democratic aide familiar with the relief legislation confirmed that Americans who give birth in 2021 are eligible in getting the additional $1,400 stimulus checks.

According to Business Insider, as with the previous stimulus packages, the new relief bill includes a provision that allows any person who gives birth in 2021 to receive an additional $1,400 stimulus check for the baby. Once the baby is born, the parents can receive the additional $1,400 after filing their tax return in 2022, the Democratic aide said. They are also eligible for a smaller amount if they earn just below $160,000.

Moreover, for couples, the payments are capped at $160,000. This means that the joint-filers who are earning more than the set amount do not qualify for a check.

In addition, the legislation also qualifies parents for an expanded child tax credit. Also, for children who are 5 years of age and below, parents will be receiving $3,600 for each one of them, The Washington Post reported.

For kids aging 6 to 17, parents will be receiving $3,000. The Democrats are targeting to provide American families the amount in a lump sum at tax time or monthly checks which are distributed through the IRS.

However, GOP legislators decried the bill for a lack of bipartisanship during its drafting. Based on the recent poll, it shows that the legislation is popular with Americans across the political spectrum.

Read also: Democrats To Approve $1.9T COVID Aid Plan

Headed to Biden for signature

On Wednesday, the Democratic-controlled House gave its final approval to the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package heading it to Biden's office. The relief package also aims to help schools and colleges in their reopening, and funding for the distribution of the vaccine.

Despite complaints from progressive Democrats who believed too many concessions were made to more moderate Democrats when the bill passed the Senate on Saturday, the bill sailed through the House. With the final vote of 220-211, All Republicans opposed it and a Democrat also vote against the bill.

Based on the statement of the White House, the House vote was the final legislative hurdle for the legislation as it now goes to Biden for the signing of the bill into law on Friday. The final passage caps months of negotiations that started when the President introduced his plan in the middle of January before he took office.

For some experts, the approval of the measure will be a milestone for the presidency of Biden, because of his move which lead the nation out from the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 527,000 individuals in America and taken down the economy.

Even Democrats said that it is one of the largest anti-poverty bills in a generation, targeting to deliver on the promise of Biden in sending the stimulus checks to millions of Americans grappling with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Biden also mentioned in a statement following the vote that the legislation is about giving the backbone of this nation, a fighting chance for the essential workers, and the working people who built the country, the individuals who are keeping the country going, USA Today reported.


Read also: Democrats Pass $1.9 Trillion Partisan COVID-19 Relief