On 18 March, following several days of negotiations, the US Senate passed a package of coronavirus relief measures by 90 to 8. The package provides for free testing, food and medical aid, and an extension to paid sick leave and unemployment benefits. President Trump then quickly promulgated legislation ensuring free coronavirus tests and the paid sick leave for workers in companies with fewer than 500 staff.
The Chamber of Representatives passed the first version of the legislation in the week of 09 March that significantly modified the original text put forward by Democrats when the first signs of the disease were being felt (c.f. article No. 11711). Underlying the original was the observation that one in four employees, i.e. some 32 million, had no access to these leave periods during pandemic scenarios, the take-up of which would otherwise serve to limit the spread of the virus.
The Senate house
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