Hello friends and neighbors,
I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Independence Day, one of the first major holidays back with family and friends.
After 16 long months, Delaware is winning the fight against COVID-19.
On July 1, the First State reached President Biden’s target 70% immunization rate that many experts believe is needed to reach herd immunity. As of Monday, 70.4% of adults in Delaware had received at least one dose of the vaccine, including 92% of seniors 65 and older.
On July 13, Governor John Carney will fully lift the COVID-19 State of Emergency Order, a significant step closer to bringing the pandemic to an end.
We know from experience that COVID-19 cases will likely rise again in the fall, which is why we need to take steps now to protect our health the best we can. More Delawareans still need to get vaccinated so we don’t face a resurgence. Nearly all new hospitalizations across the country are unvaccinated Americans and nearly half of those cases involve the more severe Delta variant. People between the ages of 18 and 34 are now at the greatest risk for contracting the virus and spreading it to others.
Vaccinations are freely available to any Delawarean ages 12 and older at dozens of walk-up sites, community clinics, state service centers, local pharmacies and area health centers.
Testing sites also will remain active throughout Delaware to help control the spread of COVID-19 and its many variants. Click here to find the closest testing site near you.
Thanks to the tremendous success of Delaware’s vaccination program, I will be pausing these COVID-19 updates for the time being. I want to thank Governor Carney, DHSS and neighbors like you who pulled together and did what was needed to get our state through these difficult times together.
Please feel free to reach out to me anytime with any questions or concerns you might have about COVID-19 or anything else impacting the lives of you, your family and your neighbors.
Have a wonderful summer and look out for future updates about our ongoing work to make Delaware a better place to live, work and raise a family for all.
In this newsletter, you will find updates on:
- Reaching our 70% vaccination goal
- The DEWins! grand prize
- Delaware’s Accelerated Learning Plan
- Summer travel tips
- Vaccination and testing sites near us
- Food resources and rental assistance
- And more!
Be well and stay safe!
Nicole Poore
Senator, 12th District
VACCINATION GOAL ACHIEVED
Delawareans have done their part to end the pandemic by getting vaccinated to protect their families, friends and communities.
We reached President Biden’s goal of 70% of adults receiving at least one shot of the vaccine by July 4.
There is still more progress to be made. Vaccines are the best protection we have against COVID-19 and its many variants.
Those who are unvaccinated are strongly encouraged to get a shot and continue to wear a mask in accordance with guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CLICK HERE TO FIND THE CLOSEST VACCINE PROVIDER
DELAWARE’S ACCELERATED LEARNING PLAN
The Delaware Department of Education is making tremendous progress in helping schools, families and community groups to support students make up ground on unfinished learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Every K-12 student in Delaware now can use their school credentials to read required and recreational digital books in the OverDrive Education Sora student reading app. Students also have seamless access to age-appropriate ebooks and audiobooks from the Delaware Libraries’ OverDrive digital collection.
Delaware students already have checked out close to 10,000 books and read for nearly 4,000 hours.
On demand math lessons are available through Zearn Math.
One-on-one tutoring is also available to about 5,000 students at 38 sites through DOE’s partnerships with 13 community-based organizations.
A language line also has been launched to provide over-the-phone interpreting in 195 languages available on-demand 24/7. In just one month, the line received an average of 24 calls per day.
DE WINS! INCENTIVES STILL AVAILABLE
Nearly two dozen vaccinated Delawareans earned cash and prizes through the DE Wins! incentive program.
Winners of the grand prizes of $302,000 and two low-digit license plates were drawn on June 30, but have not yet agreed to have their names announced.
Click here for a list of prize winners.
While the drawings may be over, Delawareans can still earn discounts and rewards by bringing their vaccination cards to local businesses.
CLICK HERE FOR INCENTIVES AVAILABLE NEAR US
SUMMER TRAVEL TIPS
Summer is a popular time to travel and many Delawareans are no doubt eager to take a well-deserved vacation as the pandemic winds down.
Before you travel, please keep the following in mind:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control strongly discourages travel for unvaccinated people, especially for international trips. If you are unvaccinated or not yet fully vaccinated and must travel, please follow the CDC’s recommendations.
International travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some COVID-19 variants. Click here for more information.
All travelers need to pay close attention to the conditions at their destination before traveling. Click here for more information regarding specific destinations.
Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread COVID-19. Get your vaccine before you get your tickets!
CLICK HERE TO FIND THE CLOSEST VACCINE PROVIDER
THE LATEST COVID-19 DATA IN DELAWARE
Delaware’s rate of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are now at their lowest since the first weeks of the pandemic in spring 2020.
As of Monday, the rolling 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases was 26.9, down 4% from two weeks ago and the lowest rate of the entire pandemic. The average percentage of people who got a positive test result increased slightly to 5.7, up from 5.2 last month.
The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases in Delaware reached 109,891 over the weekend – a 0.3% increase from two weeks ago. Statewide, the rate of infection is now 1,176.6 cases per 10,000 people.
As of Monday, there were 23 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 complications, down from 24 people two weeks earlier. The number of people in critical condition rose to 4, one more than two weeks ago.
Delaware documented 12 additional Coronavirus-related deaths over the last two weeks, bringing the total number of fatalities to 1,695. Of those total deaths, 45% were residents of long-term care facilities.
Visit Delaware’s Coronavirus Data Dashboard for all the latest information about COVID-19’s spread throughout the First State.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE STATE-LEVEL DATA
FOOD RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO DELAWAREANS
The Food Bank of Delaware’s monthly mobile food pantries are returning this month.
Advance registration is suggested, but not required.
Friday, July 9
11 a.m. – Dover International Speedway, 1131 N. Dupont Highway, in Dover
Pre-register: July9KentCounty.eventbrite.com
Monday, July 12
11 a.m. – Delaware Technical Community College, 400 Stanton Christiana Road, near Newark
Pre-register: July9NewCastleCounty.eventbrite.com
COVID-19 RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AVAILABLE
The Delaware Housing Assistance Program is offering financial support to eligible renters impacted by COVID-19.
DEHAP provides up to 12 months of financial assistance for rent owed as far back as April 2020. An additional three months of extended help is also available under certain conditions.
Income restrictions apply and all payments are made directly to landlords.
Click here to review income eligibility by county and other program requirements or call (866) 935-0407. A list of frequently asked questions and their answers also can be found here.
H.E.L.P. LOAN PAYMENTS
The Delaware Division of Small Business recently announced it is deferring repayments for anyone who received assistance through the Hospitality Emergency Loan Program, up to $10,000 of zero-interest assistance available to qualified businesses since the earliest days of the pandemic.
Initially deferred until July 1, payments on outstanding H.E.L.P. loans will not be required until September 1 at the earliest.
STAY ON THE LOOKOUT
Delawareans across our state pulled together to protect the health of one another during the pandemic.
My hope is that this community effort can continue as we face challenges great and small over the coming months and years.
MYSTERIOUS SONGBIRD ILLNESS
Delaware is among at least six mid-Atlantic and central states where wildlife experts are investigating reports of sick and dying songbirds infected with an unknown disorder characterized by swollen and crusty eyes, erratic flight and stumbling.
Wildlife experts believe congregating birds may contribute to the spread. They recommend temporarily halting the use of bird feeders or bird baths. Be sure to also keep your pets away from sick or dead birds.
If you see a live wild bird exhibiting the symptoms described above, contact Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research by calling (302) 737-9543. If you find a dead wild bird you suspect of being infected, contact the DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife at (302) 735-3600.
Click here for more information.
RABID SKUNK FOUND NEAR NEWARK
Two people were potentially exposed to a skunk killed by their dog that later tested positive for rabies.
The Delaware Division of Public Health is warning anyone who lives or spends time in the area west of Route 273, near South Brownleaf Road, Sonant Drive and Stature Drive in Newark to be on the lookout. Anyone who thinks they might have been bitten, scratched or come into contact with a skunk in that area should call the DPH Rabies Program at (302) 744-4995.
Click here for more information.
DEADLY HEMLOCK FOUND IN SUSSEX COUNTY
Two deadly species of hemlock recently were found in wetlands areas of Sussex County.
Poison hemlock is an invasive biennial, while spotted water hemlock is a native. All parts of both plants — leaves, stems, flowers and roots — are poisonous to humans and animals. The sap also can cause skin irritation.
Do not attempt to eradicate the plants yourself.
Click here for more information.
LISTERIA FOUND IN RECALLED TYSON FOODS PRODUCTS
DPH has confirmed one case of Listeria associated with a multi-state outbreak linked to Tyson Foods ready-to-eat chicken products. Two other cases have been confirmed in Texas.
The frozen, fully cooked chicken products were produced between Dec. 26, 2020, and April 13, 2021. The products subject to recall bear the establishment number “EST. P-7089,” and include chicken strips, diced chicken, chicken wing sections and fully cooked pizza with chicken.
Click here for more information.