John,

As the coronavirus crisis grows, it seems that every day we hear more reports about overwhelmed hospitals and health care workers who don’t have the supplies and protective gear that they need.

The situation is only becoming more dire, and it’s essential that we provide the necessary protections for our frontline health care workers as they work tirelessly to care for the sick. We’ve started a petition to call on Congress to ensure that nurses and other essential workers have the equipment they need to protect themselves and care for us. Will you take a moment to sign on?

The numbers are alarming: In California, more than 1,600 healthcare workers have been infected with coronavirus -- a “devastating toll” that has caused alarm among experts.

We’ve seen devastating effects right here in our community. Mono County has the most cases per capita of any county in the state, and last week, 51 patients and 6 staff members at a Yucaipa nursing home tested positive in one of the largest concentrated outbreaks in the country.

It’s time for the federal government to take action to address the shortage of protective and medical gear. There’s a lot more that can be done to ramp up production of materials like masks, N95 respirators, and gowns, and distribute them effectively to hospitals in need.

Nurses and other health care workers in California deserve our support -- and the materials that they need to do their jobs. Let’s stand with them: sign on to call for support from Congress for our essential health workers.