Contrary to what a handful of social media users would have you believe, there are no concrete plans for a fourth stimulus package, nor is there a fourth stimulus bill currently moving through Congress

Various posts have been made on Facebook and Twitter over the past few days claiming that the Biden administration and Congress plan to make direct payments to individuals who have received the COVID-19 vaccine Several publications, including Reuters and USA Today, have denied these rumors

This false claim is found in several social media posts, including a Facebook post claiming that Americans will receive a check for $2,000 by Memorial Day

Another was by a Twitter user who turned a "joke" thread into an anti-vaccine campaign, suggesting that a fourth stimulus check would go to vaccinated Americans

Additional posts promoting this idea have appeared, as well as a YouTube video suggesting (without evidence) that President Biden is "open" to a fourth stimulus payment None of these claims are from reliable sources and have not been widely shared as of this writing

So far, Americans have received three stimulus packages The first, provided by the CARES Act passed in March 2020, is for up to $1,200 per person; the second, a check for $600, was provided just after Christmas 2020; and the third, a check for up to $1,400, is part of President Biden's American Recovery Plan, which They are being disbursed in phases beginning in the spring

So far, there is no formal legislation to provide a fourth check for the stimulus package, and the Biden administration has not expressed support for such a provision White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki suggested last week that additional stimulus would be up to Congress

In recent months, many members of Congress have called for regular stimulus payments; more than 50 House Democrats sent a letter to the White House in January requesting that direct payments under the American Rescue Plan (including a final one-time check for $1,400) continue The letter was sent to the White House in January Twenty-one Senate Democrats also sent a similar letter in late March supporting continued payments

Left-leaning policy groups are also seeking additional relief, with a Changeorg petition requesting $2,000 per month for individuals and $1,000 for each dependent child

Despite support from some legislators and analysts, as well as many members of the public, the idea of repeated stimulus payments does not seem to be gaining traction in Washington, DC With the economy recovering, some economic experts suggest that a bailout may not be necessary and could even cause inflation

So will a fourth stimulus package actually be implemented? Probably not Republicans are adamantly opposed, and Democrats have other priorities this year: passing President Biden's American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan

If COVID-19 infections rise again this fall, followed by a series of lockdowns that paralyze the economy, the political priorities in favor of a fourth stimulus package may change We will have to wait and see for a while