Hi John,
Right now, across the country and here in NY-01, we are making unprecedented changes in our lives -- schools canceled, universities moving to online learning, restaurants and bars empty, and grocery stores struggling to keep up with public demand.
I wanted to take a moment to reach out to you and offer some insight as to why we must urgently mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that thousands of people die each year from the seasonal flu, and yet we’ve never responded to that risk in this way before. So is it worth it? The science says clearly: Yes.
The risk we face from COVID-19 is much greater than the flu for several reasons:
- COVID-19 is more infectious than the flu.
- It is much more deadly, with an estimated 10% of patients requiring intensive hospital care.
- COVID-19 is new, and there’s no vaccine yet, so no one has immunity yet.
One of the biggest threats of the COVID-19 outbreak is that there will be too many patients requiring hospital beds and ventilators, and our health system will not have the resources to provide intensive treatment for all who need it. It’s therefore imperative that we slow down the spread of the disease (“flatten the curve”), to prevent our hospitals from getting overwhelmed.
Northern Italy, with an advanced healthcare system, has already experienced this challenge. Experts agree that practicing “social distancing” is the most effective thing we can do to slow the spread of this disease, so that every patient in the country can get the care they need.
We know how serious this threat is. In response, last week I directed all my staff to start working from home. We have canceled all in-person events and have postponed door-to-door canvassing. The health and safety of the people in our community come first.
Changing our lives so dramatically comes with real costs, for local businesses, for our children, and especially for the most vulnerable in our community. For these reasons, I strongly support HR 6201, the bipartisan relief bill passed by the House that is now waiting on a vote in the Senate. This bill will help protect the Americans hardest hit by this crisis, including hourly workers, small business owners, and healthcare providers who are on the frontlines every day.
The coronavirus outbreak is an unprecedented pandemic, which requires a concerted response from all of us. Thank you for everything you and your family are doing to help flatten the curve, slow the spread, and save lives.
Please stay safe!
Take care,
Nancy
