John,

I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy. I know many of you have questions about the next steps for our state and when we can move back towards normalcy, so I wanted to take a moment to lay out a realistic picture of what's to come.

While I know this has been a difficult time for many, it is unlikely that we will return to life as usual anytime soon. We have done a great job of flattening the curve here in Washington State, but we're not out of the woods yet. Earlier this month, Governor Inslee extended our stay-at-home order through May 31st, and this is the right decision to avoid a surge in new cases before we have the testing and tracing capabilities and healthcare infrastructure to handle that increase.

COVID-19 is still in our midst, and until we have a vaccine or treatment, there are conditions that we must meet before we can begin a return to normalcy.

• We must see two weeks of declining numbers of new COVID-19 cases. The best way we can reach that goal is by continuing to practice social distancing.
• We need robust testing so we can track the disease in real time and take quick action if we see signs of a resurgence.
• We need to ensure our hospitals and hospital workers have the equipment and supplies, including personal protective equipment, to treat patients while keeping themselves safe.

Recovering from this pandemic will not happen overnight. As our economy tip-toes back to life, many businesses will not be able to operate at full capacity. And we won't be attending large gatherings -- such as concerts or sporting events -- anytime soon.

I'm continuing my work in Congress to keep our communities safe and help our economy recover. The next CARES package includes a bill of mine that will make vaccination free so that once one is developed, it will be available to all of us. Risk factors, not wealth, should determine who gets that immunization first. I'm also focused on finding safe plans to help our farming community and ensuring generous support is provided to state and local governments. That is how we fund our schools, first responders, and healthcare providers.

During this time, it's crucial we allow science to guide us and stay diligent to the ever-changing conditions on the ground. Remember that this will not last forever, and we will get through this difficult time. Economic recovery depends on sound public health policy.

Best wishes,

Kim

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