Fourth Stimulus Check Update: More Direct Payments Could Happen In This Scenario

The potential for a fourth stimulus check seemed to have lost steam as the economy continued to recover and COVID-19 rates significantly declined. However, with the spread of the Delta variant driving up case counts, hospitalizations and deaths in the United States, the possibility more aid will come to Americans is once again potentially on the table.

The Biden Administration has made it clear that they are following any guidance that comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, including which mitigation measures to take. While masking recommendations are the only measure back in play for now, many have begun to wonder if the administration would reinstate lockdowns if it came down to it—a measure that would likely make another round of stimulus checks necessary for Americans who became out of work as a result.

During an appearance on Fox News, White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked Principal Deputy Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if the administration would follow the advice of the CDC if they suggested shutdowns and school closures, and while Jean-Pierre didn’t explicitly say yes or no, she indicated the possibility was still there.

“We listen to the CDC and the experts and their guidance,” she said. “The CDC is a body that is very well-respected. And, again, we follow their guidance.”

If lockdowns were once reinstated, millions of Americans would once again be out of work, and forms of stimulus aid that have since expired or are set to run out, like housing assistance and unemployment benefits, could likely be put into place again. In addition, stimulus checks could likely come back if circumstances called for it.

Support for a fourth stimulus check and other stabilizing payments has remained strong since the third payment of $1,400 was first dispersed in March, and while the Biden Administration hasn’t fully ruled them out, they haven’t been the focus of new legislation, with other forms of aid, like the Expanded Child Tax Credit, instead taking center stage.