WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the extension of more than a dozen flexibilities ensuring participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) continue receiving the food and health support they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

USDA’s proactive extension of these waivers throughout the national public health emergency will ensure nutritionally at-risk mothers, babies, and children receive the critical nutrition benefits and services they count on in a safe manner while allowing the program to operate based on local conditions throughout the pandemic.

The WIC waivers being extended allow for:

Participants to be approved for WIC without being physically present in a local office;

Remote issuance of benefits to any participant;

Flexibility in food package requirements, including dairy, grains, vegetables, and infant foods; and

Additional options for pick-up of food packages.