A group of Texas medical experts presented recommendations aimed at helping the state enhance the distribution and access to the coronavirus vaccine.
The Immunization Partnership is a non-profit organization with a “mission to eradicate vaccine-preventable diseases by educating the community, advocating for evidence-based public policy, and supporting immunization best practices.”
According to the group, there are four major factors that will help improve the state’s vaccination effort: support to COVID-19 vaccine providers; health equity; COVID-19 impact on high-risk Texans; and transparency in vaccine allocation and distribution.
“While we appreciate the state’s efforts to overcome the challenges to provide COVID-19 vaccines to all Texans in an efficient and orderly manner, we believe the implementation of these recommendations from the Pandemic Vaccine Task Force will complement the on-going efforts, and serve to improve the health and safety of all Texans after our emergence from this pandemic,” said Allison Winnike, president and CEO of The Immunization Partnership.
The group also said the state’s immunization registry, ImmTrac2, could also use improvement.
“A more functional state immunization registry with interoperable data transfer systems that work with existing data collection tools will reduce administrative burden, and allow providers to focus on vaccinating Texans against COVID-19,” the group said in a news release.
ImmTrac2 is the best tool for achieving herd immunity, according to the group. The state could work to identify people and communities that do not have access to the vaccine using this tool, and that would open doors for more people to get immunized, according to the group.
“The diversity of Texas requires various methods in reaching underserved communities, higher-risk communities, non-English speakers, and Texans with low reading capability,” Winnike said. “Command of the English language should never be prohibitive to healthcare.”
The group also recommends that the state use more varied methods of communication including telephone outreach, community newsletters, bulletins at places of worship, signage at local businesses, or the local emergency message system.
“If we expect to get through this extraordinary time, the state must undertake extraordinary measures on behalf of all Texans,” Winnike said.
Texans Quarterback Deshaun Watson has responded to a lawsuit being filed by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee.
The lawsuit was made public Wednesday. KPRC 2 is working through the lawsuit and will share a story on its contents as soon as possible, but, as KPRC 2 previously reported, it does concern a female masseuse who is claiming sexual assault against Watson.
Buzbee issued a vague announcement on his Facebook pages Tuesday night that he will be representing “those who have no perceived power against those who have perceived power.”
The Facebook post reads the following:
“I am extremely proud to represent those who have no perceived power against those who have PERCEIVED power. Things are changing in this country, in this great state, and in this great city. And I feel like it’s for the better, for all of us! Today we filed suit against Deshaun Watson. Too many times women have put up with behavior that we all know no one should put up with. Should we make excuses for the famous? Or those who hold special positions, or quarterbacks on a local professional football team? I don’t think so! All people are equal, and all deserve dignity and respect. My dad was a butcher. My mother drove my school bus and worked in the snack bar. Knowing what I know now: My momma had more dignity in her pinky finger than most executives or coaches or politicians or famous athletes have in their whole bodies! This case we just filed against Watson isn’t about money—it’s about dignity and stopping a behavior that should be stopped, NOW! Stay tuned for details. LET ME SAY THIS. I’m a Marine. I’m not easily intimidated. If you have info or have been part of this, contact my office: txattorneys.com.”
Watson responded to the allegations once he got wind of Buzbee’s post on social media. He said he has not seen the complaint made against him but says he has never treated any woman with anything other than “utmost respect” and looks forward to clearing his name.
Watson’s tweet read the following:
“As a result of a social media post by a publicity-seeking plaintiff’s lawyer that has apparently been filed against me. I have not yet seen the complaint, but I know this: I have never treated any woman with anything other than the utmost respect. The plaintiff’s lawyer claims that this isn’t about money, but before filing the suit he made a baseless six-figure settlement demand, which I quickly rejected. Unlike him, this isn’t about money for me — it’s about clearing my name, and I look forward to doing that.”
The Texans released this statement Wednesday concerning Watson:
“We became aware of a civil lawsuit involving Deshaun Watson through a social media post last night. This is the first time we heard of the matter, and we hope to learn more soon. We take accusations of this nature that involve anyone within the Houston Texans organization seriously. We will await further information before making any additional statements on this incident.”
The Houston Health Department and Harris County Public Health announced Tuesday that scheduling will begin for the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine at NRG Park.
Here’s what you need to know, depending on which agency administered your vaccine.
No matter which agency administered your first dose, you must remember to bring the vaccine card that was provided to you when you got your first shot.
Houston Health Department
People whose first dose was scheduled through the HHD (including its Harris County Area Agency on Aging) and provided a cell phone number will receive a text message with a link about 48 hours (two days) before the 21-day second dose due date.
Those who do not respond or provided a landline instead of a cell phone will receive a phone call to schedule the second dose.
Anyone who does not receive a call or text 48 hours before the second dose due date is asked to contact (832) 393-4301.
Harris County Public Health
Those in this group will receive a phone call, text, or email the day before the second dose due date to schedule their second dose.
People will be able to schedule an appointment for the second day or in the next three consecutive days following the second dose due date.
Upon arrival at the NRG Park Yellow Lot, Gate 16, 9036 S. Main Street, people must provide a QR code.
Anyone with questions is asked to call the HCPH Vaccine hotline at (832) 927-8787.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo tearfully thanked Houston and the department Tuesday after announcing he would be leaving to become the police chief in Miami.
Surrounded by several members of the Houston Police Department, Acevedo said he wanted everyone to understand how he came to the decision to leave Houston.
“I decided to take the Miami position because Miami is a world-class city like Houston,” Acevedo said. “Miami is an international city like Houston. Miami is the gateway to Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe. It is a very diverse community like Houston.”
Acevedo continued by saying everything is about timing. He said when the opportunity to become police chief in Miami was presented, he had been heavily thinking about what was next.
“My heart was like, ‘What am I going to do next?’ I love being a cop. I love cops. I’ve been contemplating what’s next,” he said.
Acevedo said he contemplated taking a federal position with one of the biggest departments in the country, and he also contemplated going back to Los Angeles to run for sheriff or join the private sector.
Acevedo ultimately decided to accept the position in Miami on Monday. He said after having a short professional courtship with the Mayor of Miami, he felt that the two of them really connected.
The HPD chief also weighed in on who he thought would be a good fit for the next police chief in Houston. Acevedo said he hopes Mayor Turner will consider one of HPD’s executive assistant chiefs for the position.
“I’ve been praying for that,” Acevedo said. “I would challenge any member of the community. If they look at how the summer of protests across this country — and we saw buildings burning and so many bad things happening — to compare the performance of our department to a lot of other departments and the relationship with this community and this department.
Acevedo said his departure would allow for someone else in the department to have an opportunity to grow.
“We’re going to leave this department in great hands. I will be leaving a big piece of my heart in Houston. I’ll be leaving a big piece of my heart in Texas,” Acevedo said.
Things did get heated during the news conference when KPRC 2 Investigates questioned Acevedo over the skyrocketing homicides in Houston.
“The crimefighting strategies aren’t the issue. When you have a court system that’s shut down because of COVID or Harvey, what’s the next excuse? Get those courts open. If they don’t want to work, get out,” Acevedo said.
The fight to get repeated offenders off the streets of Houston has been an issue Acevedo says he’s been working on since he became chief.
Acevedo said he will continue to help Houston and see-through certain incidents that happened under his watch like the Harding Street raid.
“I’ll be back for Harding Street. I’ll be continuing to watch Harding Street. I want to see this through. it happened on my watch and I’ll like to see this through,” Acevedo said.
Acevedo did not detail when his last day would be in Houston, but Mayor Sylvester Turner is expected to make an announcement about the next chief this week.
A man accused of killing a Houston police sergeant during a shootout along the North Freeway on Nov. 9, 2020, has posted bond, according to multiple sources.
Robert Soliz, 24, was arrested during a traffic stop along Interstate 10 Katy Freeway a day after the fatal shooting. He was charged with murder for the death of Sgt. Sean Rios, 47, a 25-year veteran of the Houston Police Department. Soliz bond was set at $500,000 for the murder charge.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said he believes Rios was killed during a shootout while trying to intervene in an exchange of gunfire between two vehicles that happened on the freeway. He said Rios was hit during the exchange of gunfire and ran to a nearby motel for help. Rios collapsed and died at the scene, Acevedo said. The chief said Rios was on his way to work when the shootout happened.
Court Records show Soliz has been arrested numerous times, dating back to 2014. Soliz’s most recent arrest came in February when he was arrested carrying a handgun in a motor vehicle. The rest of his charges over the last few years include evading arrest, possession of marijuana, unlawfully carrying a weapon and a terroristic threat for threatening the woman he was dating with murder.
Soliz’s attorney, Paul Looney, told that he was not aware that he made a bond.
Soliz is scheduled to appear in court on March 23.
Each year, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17 with parades, funny leprechaun hats, and plenty of green beer.
But how did this special day come about and why do we celebrate it on March 17?
WHO WAS SAINT PATRICK?
Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland who lived from 387-461, according to Catholic.org.
“St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world’s most popular saints,” Catholic.org writes. “He was born in Roman Britain and when he was 14 or so, he was captured by Irish pirates during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. At the time, Ireland was a land of Druids and pagans but Patrick turned to God and wrote his memoir, The Confession.”
Catholic.org reports St. Patrick used shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity and “entire kingdoms were eventually converted to Christianity after hearing Patrick’s message.”
After preaching in Ireland for about 40 years, he died on March 17, 461. We celebrate St. Patrick’s Day annually on March 17 to commemorate his passing.
According to History.com, since the ninth or 10th century, Ireland has been observing the Roman Catholic feast day of Saint Patrick on March 17.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN AMERICA
According to The Washington Post, the first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in America, not Ireland.
The WaPo reports a St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601, in a Spanish colony now known as St. Augustine, Florida.
In New York City in 1772, Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched to honor Saint Patrick which caused the enthusiasm for the holiday to spread to Boston and other cities across America, according to History.com.
In 2017, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported 139 million Irish and non-Irish individuals celebrated St. Patrick’s Day in the United States.
ST. PATRICK’S DAY SAFETY
The popular holiday can be fun if everyone celebrates responsibly.
Unfortunately, it often ends with risky drunk drivers taking to the streets when the parties end. Drunk driving accounts for nearly one-third of vehicle-related fatalities in the United States.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) fatal-crash data, in 2016, 60 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes over the St. Paddy’s Day holiday period (6 p.m. March 16 – 5:59 a.m. March 18).
Take precautions and learn some safety tips before the festivities begin.
If you’re attending a celebration:
Before attending any festivities, choose a designated driver, who is responsible for driving a group of friends home.
If someone is attempting to drive drunk, stop them and call a taxi or loved one.
Pace alcoholic drinks throughout the night, and consume a glass of water between every drink.
Attend with a group of trusted friends, who will have each other’s best interests in mind.
Never leave drinks alone or accept a drink from a stranger to help prevent the chance of consuming a drugged beverage.
Never ride in a car with a drunk driver.
Consume a large meal before drinking any alcohol, and eat when drinking because it will help reduce hangover symptoms.
Call law enforcement immediately after seeing someone intoxicated drive away.
And don’t forget, COVID-19 has not gone away. Socially-distanced celebrations and masks are still highly encouraged by federal and state officials.
A SPECIAL FREE EVENT ON FACEBOOK LIVE TONIGHT AT 7 PM!
Dance can bridge gaps that can transform the world. In this episode, TUTS Director of Community Engagement, Israel Jimenez, talks with Maria Torres and Harrison Guy. These arts leaders will discuss how dance tackles issues and ideas that challenge audiences to new ways of thinking.
It all takes place on the TUTS Facebook page. Tune in for your chance to have your questions answered live!
Wednesday, March 17 at 7 p.m. CST
Guests: Maria Torres, Director | Choreographer | Producer Harrison Guy, Artistic Director of Urban Souls Dance Company
Host: Israel Jimenez – Director of Community Engagement – TUTS
Los agentes de la Patrulla Fronteriza en el Valle del Río Grande se han encontrado con familias y niños extranjeros no acompañados que son introducidos de contrabando en el país en grupos de más de 100.
El martes por la mañana, agentes asignados a la Estación de Patrulla Fronteriza de la Ciudad de Río Grande (RGC) detuvieron a un grupo de 100 extranjeros indocumentados, que consisten principalmente en familias al sur de La Grulla, Texas.
Dentro del grupo había nueve extranjeros de Rumania y dos ciudadanos de Cuba.
A la mañana siguiente, agentes asignados a la Estación de Patrulla Fronteriza de McAllen detuvieron a un grupo de 102 extranjeros al sur de La Joya, Texas. Este grupo estaba formado principalmente por familias y niños no acompañados (UAC). Los individuos eran de varios países centroamericanos.
El jueves por la mañana temprano, los agentes, con la ayuda de los oficiales de la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Starr, detuvieron a un grupo de 137 extranjeros al sur de Roma. El grupo estaba compuesto por familias centroamericanas y cuatro adultos.
A pesar de los peligros inherentes de cruzar el traicionero Río Grande, los extranjeros continúan arriesgando sus vidas para ingresar a los Estados Unidos. En los últimos días, la Patrulla Fronteriza ha realizado múltiples rescates de personas que fueron dejadas a la deriva por los contrabandistas. Los grupos se introducen de contrabando en balsas inflables que casi siempre superan la capacidad máxima del improvisado transporte y rara vez se les proporciona chalecos salvavidas.
Lo anterior ocurrió la semana anterior pero el flujo de indocumentados de diferentes nacionalidades parece constante, de acuerdo con observadores familiarizados con el fenómeno migratorio en la frontera.
If you get the choice, which COVID-19 vaccine should you choose?
For now, experts are clear — the best vaccine is the one about to go into your arm. But as the supply of vaccine expands, it’s possible Americans eventually might find someone asking, “Which vaccine do you want?”
The answer for most people will still be “Whatever’s available.” That said, there are differences that could play a role, though doctors are unanimous all three currently authorized vaccines work extremely well to protect against severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
A shot now is better than waiting for a different shot, said Dr. Kathryn Edwards, scientific director of the Vaccine Research Program at Vanderbilt University’s School of Medicine. It likely benefits both the individual and society by lowering the overall spread of the disease.
Beyond that, there are small trade-offs when it comes to the current vaccines. In general, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two doses and are somewhat more effective. Johnson & Johnson requires one dose and is somewhat less likely to cause side effects.
Johnson & Johnson’s “one and done” aspect is a selling point for many.
Pedro Betancourt works at the airport in Miami and “can’t take chances,” he said. His choice would be “Johnson & Johnson, due to a convenient one shot.” Though he said he wasn’t picky since both he and his wife experienced COVID-19, which he described as “mild but scary.”
Right now, “I hope everyone takes the vaccinations seriously so that we can begin moving forward to normalcy,” he said.
Effectiveness: Check efficacy rates
Overall, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna had slightly higher efficacy rates in clinical trials than Johnson & Johnson.
That’s enough for Tom Cavanagh of Lexington Park, Maryland. Given the choice, he’d choose either of them but would be open to all.
“Having been in the U.S. military, I have gotten many vaccines without having a bit of knowledge, so I will take the vaccine that I can get and hope for the best,” he said.
One way to approach this could be deciding if you’re someone at high risk of getting very sick or dying from COVID-19, or if someone in your family is, said Hilda Bastian, a health scientist who writes on COVID-19 vaccines.
People in that group might choose the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.
For someone who doesn’t have anyone at home at high risk, and isn’t at high risk themselves, that slightly better effectiveness wouldn’t matter as much. The ease of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine could be more important.
“They might think, ‘As long as I’m doing my bit for the community, if it’s enough for that, then that would be enough for me,’” Bastian said.
Immunity: How fast does it work?
How quickly the vaccines’ protection kicks in and how long it lasts are still being worked out. No long-term data is available because none of the vaccines are more than a year old.
The vaccines don’t give immediate protection because there are biological limitations at work, said Dr. Otto Yang, a professor of medicine and associate chief of infectious diseases at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.
“It takes time for antibodies and T cells to build to adequate levels. Antibodies in particular also require ‘maturation.’” he said.
It might seem the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, would be faster but that’s not necessarily the case.
One study found the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 46% effective at preventing symptomatic infection between 14 and 20 days after the first dose and 92% a week after the second dose.
For Moderna, the vaccine was 80.2% effective after one dose and 95.6% effective after the second.
That’s not too different from Johnson & Johnson. After 28 days, its protection from severe disease was 85% and after 49 days it was 100%, said Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, a professor of immunobiology at Yale University.
She did acknowledge there’s no good head-to-head data.
“It is comparing apples and oranges though since the efficacy was measured differently. Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech as symptomatic infections, Johnson & Johnson as moderate to severe disease,” she said.
How well the vaccines work against newly emerging COVID-19 variants is another factor.
Scientists say it’s difficult to really know whether any of the three work better against the variants as the vaccines were tested at different times when different variants were circulating.
Even so, some Americans prefer Johnson & Johnson.
“If I could choose, I would go with Johnson & Johnson. The reason why is because this vaccine protects people from the variants. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna came out before the variants showed up,” said James Bock of Rockford, Illinois.
Side effects: Fever, chills, and fatigue
All three COVID-19 vaccines in use in the United States can cause short-term side effects in some people, including pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and joint pain.
These are a sign the immune system is kicking into high gear and not a bad thing — they don’t mean the vaccines aren’t safe.
For Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, more than half of people who get them have chills and fever a few days afterward. If you haven’t had COVID-19, the reaction tends to be stronger after the second dose, said Vanderbilt’s Edwards.
“If you’ve had COVID before, you’ll get sicker with the first dose and less with the second,” she said.
These differences could matter for some people. For example, younger people tend to have stronger side effects because their immune systems overall are stronger.
“If I’m an older person, then maybe I’m not going to need a couple of days off work if I get one of the shots, so Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna is fine,” said Bastian.
A younger person or someone for whom taking a day of work is difficult, might prefer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, she said.
For people who aren’t thrilled with the idea of vaccines overall, Johnson & Johnson could be preferable because it’s just one shot.
“They might say, ‘That’s not too much to ask. I’ll do that,’” Bastian said.
Anaphylaxis: 4.5 cases per 1M doses
For the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, there are reports of a small number of people experiencing anaphylaxis, an immediate, severe allergic reaction that requires a dose of epinephrine to stop. The average rate was 4.5 cases per million administered doses.
This is why people getting these vaccines are required to wait 15 minutes before leaving, where medical personnel is on hand to treat them.
Johnson & Johnson appears to have a lower rate of these reactions, though that could also be because it’s newer and hasn’t been given to as many people.
“We don’t know what will happen when it’s millions of doses of Johnson & Johnson” given, said Dr. Gregory Poland, director, Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group, and editor-in-chief of the journal Vaccine.
Among those who had the severe reaction, one-third had a previous history of anaphylaxis and three-quarters had a known allergy to one of the components of the vaccine, said Edwards.
“The important thing to know is that no one has died from these reactions,” she said.
For the very few people who have an anaphylactic reaction to their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, experts are discussing whether they should get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as their second dose, said Dr. Buddy Creech, director of Vanderbilt’s Vaccine Research Program.
“If there is concern about an allergy, you might want to have a conversation with your health care provider about getting Johnson & Johnson for your second shot,” Creech said.
Take the vaccine available to you
In general, say experts, the vaccine you can get is the best vaccine for you.
That’s how Paula Musich, in Ashland, Oregon, sees it. She’ll be happy with whatever’s on offer.
“I called today and there weren’t even appointments. I don’t think they’ll be giving us a choice any time soon,” she said.
But if offered the choice, which should you get? Here are some considerations
If getting the vaccine is difficult for you for whatever reason, the one-and-done Johnson & Johnson vaccine might be preferable.
If you want belt-and-suspenders maximum protection, then Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna might be your choice.
If you know you’re prone to severe allergic reactions, you might choose Johnson & Johnson, though the chance of anything happening is very tiny, and medical personnel are there to deal with it.
One final thing: Whichever you get, there are probably more COVID-19 vaccines in your future. Many scientists think it’s likely booster shots will be required, though whether yearly or every few years isn’t known. COVID isn’t done with us and we’re not yet done with COVID.
Mike Cascone in Sunnyvale, California, likes that plan. Half-jokingly, he said, “I tell my friends, I want one of each. Then I’ll be totally covered.”
St. Patrick’s Day is the day when the green from those latest stimulus payments will actually flow into many savings and checking accounts.
However, the timing of those payments has many customers at some banks, including JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo, seeing red.
Eligible consumers will have access to their money by 9 a.m. local time Wednesday, according to the trade group that handles the processing of direct deposits.
“The IRS chose the date of March 17, which is the date on which the IRS intends for settlement to occur,” according to Nacha, the organization that governs the ACH Network.
So you might want to hold off pulling out your debit card for another few days if you’ve got immediate plans for how quickly you’d like to spend that stimulus money.
There’s been some confusion lately as to when people will have access to their cash via direct deposit after seeing some “pending” action relating to the third stimulus payments on their bank accounts this weekend.
Social media buzz heated up as some consumers complained about why the money wasn’t readily available.
“Banks holding stimulus payments so they can collect the overnight interest on the money should be a crime,” wrote @goldietaylor on Twitter, editor-at-large for the Daily Beast. The tweet had 4,875 retweets.
Another tweet from user @blu_ceo: “Live look at Wells Fargo bringing my stimulus money to the bank. Talk about speed and horsepower.” Not surprisingly, that tweet showed a photo of the Wells Fargo stagecoach.
Monday’s statements represented an effort by bankers and others in the industry to clarify the payment time schedule and take on their critics.
“There is no mystery where the money is from the time the first payment file was transmitted on Friday, March 12 to when all recipients will have access to the money on Wednesday — it is still with the government,” according to a statement provided Monday morning from Nacha.
The statement noted that the Internal Revenue Service announced that the “settlement date for the initial wave of tens of millions of economic impact payments by Direct Deposit will be Wednesday, March 17.”
“This is the date on which the IRS will provide the funds to the banks and credit unions to further make available to recipients,” the industry group stated.
IRS officials said Monday that some money could be available to consumers earlier than the official date.
The IRS noted in a press release issued late Friday: “As with the first two Economic Impact Payments in 2020, most Americans will receive their money without having to take any action. Some Americans may see the direct deposit payments as pending or as provisional payments in their accounts before the official payment date of March 17.”
More direct deposit payments will be made in the days ahead, too. People can check the Get My Payment tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of the third stimulus payment.
President Joe Biden said Monday in a speech that 100 million stimulus payments will be out in the next 10 days. He said the United States will reach a major goal of 100 million coronavirus vaccine shots in arms in the next 10 days, too.
“Shots in arms and money in pockets,” Biden said.
An eligible family of three might end up looking at a stimulus payout of up to $4,200 this time around, while the payout could jump to up to $5,600 for a family of four. The third stimulus will be larger for most than other stimulus payments.
“In general, most people will get $1,400 for themselves and $1,400 for each of their qualifying dependents claimed on their tax return,” according to an IRS statement Friday.
All the money isn’t going out via direct deposit. Some people will still get money via paper checks and plastic prepaid debit cards issued by MetaBank, both of which will be sent in the mail in the coming weeks.
No money will be added to old prepaid debit cards that were sent out in the first or second stimulus payment programs.
“The vast majority of these payments will be by direct deposit,” the IRS said Friday, without being specific on the exact percentage of payments.
Jen Psaki, White House press secretary, told reporters in Washington on Thursday that people would start seeing direct deposit of the stimulus checks as soon as last weekend.
Jane Larimer, president, and CEO of Nacha issued a similar sentiment on Thursday after Biden signed the massive COVID-19 relief package into law.
“The ACH Network is ready to deliver these relief payments via Direct Deposit, with funds available to people on the day instructed by the IRS,” Larimer said then.
Not everyone will receive a payment, given tighter restrictions based on income.
Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000 or above in adjusted gross income and no stimulus money will be allowed for those with incomes above $80,000.
For a married couple filing a joint return, the stimulus amount starts being reduced to $150,000 in adjusted gross income. No payment is allowed if incomes exceed $160,000 and up for married couples filing a joint return.
