🦠 The U.S. government must pass measures to pay for COVID-19 testing, treatment and sick leave ASAP 🤞

Today is an important day for how the United States decides to address the crisis we are all now part of. As everyone in the U.S. knows, every day the news seems to get worse and worse with Coronavirus infecting and killing more and more people worldwide and increasingly here in the U.S:

Photo Credit: NYTimes, 3/13/2020 website screenshot

While the number of deaths is relatively low in the U.S, we are far behind in testing so we don’t really know how many people are infected which means it’s likely to look like it’s getting worse once testing actually ramps up. In the past two weeks, as infection has dramatically spread, so has the reaction with U.S. governments and private companies which are implementing unprecedented and significant closures, restrictions and cancellations.

For a sense of what we are all hearing and going through every, just watch the 2.5 minutes of the March 12th, 2020 broadcast of the NBC Nightly News. Just watch the first 2.5 minutes of this broadcast for a test of the daily fun:

It. Looks. Grim. 😬

Travel banned from Europe, social distancing encouraged, large gatherings banned, some states closing all schools, mass cancellations on Broadway, at Disney and Universal Studios and Hollywood, March Madness canceled, basketball, baseball and soccer seasons delayed, famous people testing positive, the worst stock market drop since 1987, how to prepare yourself for self isolation if infected, the U.S. lagging far behind other countries in testing availability, flights and cruises canceled and employees being laid off. 😱

Here in Seattle, where I’ve lived since 2001, three surrounding counties (King, Pierce, and Snohomish) are basically on lock-down with large events banned and school just canceled. Our Governor, Jay Inslee declared yesterday that all public and private K-12 schools will be closed until April 27. That is 600,000 students at home for six weeks! Seattle is looking vacant, restaurants are closing left and right, and these are just the new issues — we’re well beyond the handwashing, toilet paper hoarding and unnecessary mask usage.

I’m a pretty level-headed, thoughtful, smart person (at least one out of three most of the time), but when you watch the news, IT’S SCARY!

Fortunately for you, dear reader, this is not a fear article, it’s a hope one.

There is reason for hope 💗

Everyone is keeping in touch and wants to help. ✌

Friends, family and coworkers are messaging each other and using social media to check in and make sure people are OK with their job and home situations and kids and parents, sharing the latest news (Canlis is delivering!?), sharing offers to help people in need (awww!), tips on what to hoard (don’t!!), tips on addressing boredom (go outside for a walk, run or bike ride!! Go skiing!!!), schemes of flying to Hawaii and getting “stuck” there.

State and Local Governments are working hard 👍

Here in Washington, it is clear to me having watched several press conferences that the decisions being made are being done thoughtfully with all stakeholders at the table. Watch the Governor’s latest speech. These are hard decisions that no one would want to make, and I feel better knowing there were many people involved in both the decision and how to mitigate its impacts.

If the U.S. Congress votes YES on TODAY’s stimulus package, we’ll be safer long-term and will begin to feel some HOPE. 🤞

It sounds like there is a chance Congress will pass a Coronavirus stimulus package today. The current package under negotiating provides paid sick leave if you get the virus and free testing. These government paid services are crucially important to minimizing the long-term impact of this crisis and helping us all start to see positive changes happening which should calm the panic somewhat.

We’ve seen how everyone’s lives are being impacted right now. Let’s imagine for a moment how much further disrupted your life would be if you got the virus. Now imagine you were just fired from your minimum wage job because there were no customers coming in. Or maybe you work in an office, but they just reduced your pay or temporarily laid you off because business is limited. Now imagine you have a child to care for at home because it’s closed, so you can’t work elsewhere because you can’t afford childcare. You also have a rent payment, a student loan payment for trying to better yourself, and you are responsible for feeding everyone in your family. Now imagine you don’t have insurance because your employer didn’t provide it as a benefit, you couldn’t afford it on your own, you weren’t required to buy it, and your government didn’t care.

You’re pretty much fucked in this situation. And that’s a lot of people right now given all of the closures and cancellations and layoffs that are just beginning. These are not fake people. These are people in your city, neighborhood, building.

Why would we not take the vast amounts of money the U.S. Government has in its budget and figure out the best ways to help people affected by Coronavirus? Include the provisions that will actually help, and pass the bill.

Just remember, it’s our government and the people we elect to run it are spending our tax money. Can you think of anything more pressing for the federal government to invest in?

Betty White is currently safe. 🙏

One more point of hope! We’re going through a lot. We need to pause and celebrate anything happy we come across. For instance, Betty White “is fine” amid Coronavirus outbreak! She’s probably sipping a Corona (from a bucket) on the beach on Hawaii where she’s “stuck” for a while 😎

Photo Credit: Amanda Edwards / WireImage

Let’s all be more like Betty.

Keep on living life to its fullest 🙌

Share this article with your state’s U.S. senators today and ask “PLEASE PASS a Coronavirus Stimulus package with free testing and paid sick leave TODAY.”

Updated 3/16/2020: Replaced original 3/13/2020 title of, “The United States Congress can help with COVID-19 today 🤞” with the title, “The U.S. government must pass measures to pay for testing, treatment and sick leave ASAP 🤞” since it hasn’t been done yet and is growing in urgency. We need even more stimulus for the millions of healthy people also being temporarily laid off, such as pausing mortgage payments and asking owners to pause rent payments, so keep thinking of ideas and pressing for what we need.