Government House says P-EBT cards continued to be issued to eligible Virgin Islands students

Government House said on September 14, 2020, that the Department of Human Services was continuing to issue Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer, or P-EBT, cards to families of eligible students in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

At a weekly press briefing, Communications Director Richard Motta Jr. said most recipients should have received the benefits by mail. He said questions about lost or damaged cards, or problems creating a PIN, should be directed to the P-EBT hotline at 340-772-7120 or by email to pebt@dhs.vi.gov.

Motta also said September 14, 2020, was the first day of the 2020-21 school year for public-school students and asked families and school staff for patience during the Department of Education's two-week soft opening.

Government House also reported 58 active COVID-19 cases in the territory as of September 14, 2020. It said 18,354 people had been tested, with 17,120 negative results and 1,221 positive results. The government reported 1,144 recoveries and 19 deaths.

The 19th fatality was identified as an 82-year-old man on St. Thomas who died after being admitted to Schneider Regional Medical Center in respiratory distress, according to Government House.

Government House said there were no COVID-19 patients at Juan F. Luis Hospital and one COVID-19 patient at Schneider Regional Medical Center.

The Virgin Islands Department of Labor had issued 36,291 unemployment insurance checks totaling $27,772,302, along with 26,814 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation payments totaling $40,814,880, Government House said. It also reported $2,446,101 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and $1,000,005 in Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/communications-director-reminds-vi-families-about-p-ebt-program/