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This week, Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans unveiled their embarrassing proposal to address the worsening coronavirus pandemic, which fails to address the health care needs of Americans during this pandemic. In comparison, the Heroes Act passed by the House over two months ago provides $75 billion in funding for testing and contact tracing, free coronavirus treatment without cost-sharing, the opening of a special enrollment period for the uninsured to gain coverage through the ACA marketplace and increases in federal funds to support state Medicaid programs.

See a side-by-side comparison of key health care and economic provisions in the Heroes Act and the Senate GOP proposal below:

Health Care Provisions	Heroes Act	Senate Republican Proposal
Funding for Testing & Contact Tracing	Provides $75 billion in grants to state, local, Tribal, and territorial health departments to support testing, contact tracing, and isolation	$16 billion, down from $25 billion in previous iterations of the GOP bill
Guarantees Coverage Of Coronavirus Treatment Without Cost-Sharing?	Yes	No
Provisions to Expand Health Care Coverage?	Opens a Special Enrollment Period Provides subsidies for individuals purchasing insurance through COBRA Increases the Medicaid FMAP to 14 percent	No

 

Economic Provisions	Heroes Act	Senate Republican Proposal
State/Local (Incl. Education Funding)	Provides nearly $1 trillion to state, local, territorial and tribal governments to pay vital workers like first responders, health workers, and teachers  *Senate Democrats also introduced a $430 billion relief bill to address child care and education	Provides $105 billion for education, with some funding contingent on physically reopening No additional funds for state and local governments
Direct Payments	$1,200 per family member	$1,200 for adults, plus $500 per dependent
Essential Workers	Establishes a $200 billion “Heroes’ Fund” for essential workers, ensuring they receive hazard pay Ensures workplace safety protections consistent with CDC guidelines	Includes liability protections for corporations, including a five-year ban from coronavirus-related lawsuits unless the business engaged in “gross negligence” or intentional misconduct”
Unemployed Workers	Extends weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through next January	Cuts weekly federal unemployment to $200 per week, which translates to a decrease of $1,600 per month for millions of Americans
Small Businesses	Strengthens the Payroll Protection Program to ensure that it reaches underserved communities by providing $10 billion for Covid-19 emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program	Provides a second round of PPP loans for businesses under 300 workers, as long as they can demonstrate 50 percent lost revenue compared with a reference period
Additional Support	Provides $175 billion in housing support for renters and homeowners Includes a 15 percent increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs	Includes $1.75 billion to rebuild the FBI headquarters to help protect President Trump’s real estate profits

 

Ad Launched Today Is Part of Protect Our Care’s Previously Announced $2 Million Digital and TV Ad Campaign On Trump’s Failed Coronavirus Response 

Washington, DC — Protect Our Care is launching a new digital ad today as part of our $2 million ad campaign criticizing the Trump administration’s failed coronavirus response that put millions of Americans at grave risk. “Failed Us” features Dr. Farhan Bhatti, a family physician from Lansing, Michigan, speaking about how most of his patients are uninsured or underinsured and how President Trump’s war to terminate the Affordable Care Act and rip coverage from millions is “reprehensible” as the nation faces the coronavirus pandemic.

Watch: Failed Us

This ad is part of a series of ads first launched by Protect Our Care earlier this month. As cases of coronavirus continue to spike around the country and the death toll reaches 150,000, the ads urge the Trump administration to listen to medical experts and do more to protect Americans during the pandemic. All ads released as part of this campaign make clear that the coronavirus pandemic “didn’t have to be this bad.” 

It is Protect Our Care’s hope that through these ads, the administration will heed the warnings of medical professionals on the front lines and take more

“President Trump’s botched coronavirus response would only be exacerbated by his disastrous lawsuit to terminate the Affordable Care Act,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Health care workers who are on the front lines of this pandemic like Dr. Bhatti know the worst thing that we can do is strip health care from millions of Americans. Americans are increasingly worried about their health and safety, but instead of taking action, President Trump continues to plow ahead in his years-long quest to destroy Americans’ health care, all in the middle of the worst public health crisis in a century.” 

Script for Failed Us (:30): 

Dr. Farhan Bhatti: I am a family physician.

Most of our patients are underinsured or uninsured. 

So, we’ve been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in many ways, and it is reprehensible that the Trump administration – including the president himself – think it’s appropriate to be leading the fight to take health care away from Americans during the middle of a pandemic.

And so, it absolutely gets me riled up and gets me frustrated and angry on behalf of my patients.

President Trump has failed us during this pandemic.

Yesterday, Protect Our Care released a new paid digital ad today to mark the three-year anniversary of Senator John McCain’s “thumbs-down” vote to block Senate Republicans’ effort to repeal the ACA in the early morning hours of July 28, 2017. A seminal moment for Americans’ health care, McCain offered Republicans a chance to chart a different course from their relentless quest to repeal the law. But instead, under the leadership of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell, they chose to double down on their repeal at all costs approach even as the nation faces the worst public health crisis in a century. The ad recognizes this important moment by calling attention to the fact that President Trump along with Republican Senators like Cory Gardner (R-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Martha McSally (R-AZ) continue to support repealing the health care law. The ad will appear on digital platforms in AZ, CO, NC, IA, MT, WI, MI, PA and MN. 

WATCH: “Thumbs Down”

In concert with the new ad, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), along with patient advocates joined Protect Our Care and Health Care Voter for a virtual town hall consisting of two panel discussions to reflect on Senator McCain’s thumbs-down vote. The senators gave their recollections of being on the floor of the Senate that night and discussed the importance of the ACA during this pandemic and why President Trump seems hellbent on terminating the ACA in court. The second panel spoke about their various experiences in the fight against the repeal of the ACA and the next steps in health care advocacy leading into November.

Watch the Virtual Town Hall Here

Watch the Virtual Town Hall Here

At a virtual town hall this evening, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), along with health care experts and patient advocates joined Protect Our Care and Health Care Voter ahead of the third anniversary of Senator John McCain’s historic thumbs-down vote to stave off repeal of the Affordable Care Act. With President Trump in court trying to do what Republicans failed to do legislatively three years ago – terminate the Affordable Care Act – and the coronavirus crisis continuing to rage across the country, the stakes have never been higher to protect the ACA and remember the fateful vote that saved it from repeal in 2017. 

Watch the Virtual Town Hall Here

Protect Our Care also debuted a new paid digital ad featuring footage of the vote. The ad recognizes this important moment in history by calling attention to the fact that President Trump and Republican Senators like Cory Gardner (R-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Martha McSally (R-AZ) continue to support repealing the health care law. 

The town hall consisted of two panels featuring remarks from Senators Stabenow, Casey, Klobuchar and Baldwin, as well as activists from the front lines of the repeal fight including Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler, Little Lobbyists Executive Director and Co-Founder Elena Hung, Get America Covered Co-Founder Lori Lodes, NETWORK Executive Director Sr. Simone Campbell and Stage 4 cancer survivor and Health Care Voter Co-Chair Laura Packard. The first panel discussed what it was like on the floor of the Senate the night Senator McCain cast his thumbs-down vote, the importance of the ACA during this pandemic and why President Trump seems hellbent on terminating the ACA in court. The second panel spoke about their various experiences in the fight against the repeal of the ACA and the next steps in health care advocacy leading into November. 

New Digital Ad From POC Targets Trump and Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Martha McSally (R-AZ) for Continuing to Support Repealing the Health Care Law

Washington, DC — Protect Our Care is releasing a new paid digital ad today to mark the three-year anniversary of Senator John McCain’s “thumbs-down” vote to block Senate Republicans’ effort to repeal the ACA in the early morning hours of July 28, 2017. A seminal moment for Americans’ health care, McCain offered Republicans a chance to chart a different course from their relentless quest to repeal the law. But instead, under the leadership of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell, they chose to double down on their repeal at all costs approach even as the nation faces the worst public health crisis in a century. The ad recognizes this important moment by calling attention to the fact that President Trump along with Republican Senators like Cory Gardner (R-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Martha McSally (R-AZ) continue to support repealing the health care law. The ads will target persuadable voters on digital platforms in AZ, CO, NC, IA, MT, WI, MI, PA and MN. 

Later today at 6:00 PM EST, Protect Our Care will host a virtual town hall to commemorate the third anniversary of Senator John McCain’s historic thumbs-down vote that will feature Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) along with health care advocates who have been instrumental in the fight against repeal.

“Senator McCain’s vote three years ago should have been a wake up call for the Trump administration and Republicans to stand down from their relentless efforts to tear apart the ACA, yet their war on health care has only continued to grow more destructive,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “The Trump administration and Republicans including Senators Gardner, Tillis, Daines and McSally are hellbent on repeal and still have no replacement and no plan for the more than 20 million Americans who receive coverage under the ACA nor the 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions who are protected under the law. As the nation faces a deadly pandemic that tests our health care system and threatens the health and safety of every American like never before, it’s unconscionable that Trump and Republicans are still plowing ahead with their efforts to take away health care.”

WATCH: “Thumbs Down”

Ad script: 

Reporter: After several years trying to repeal and replace Obamacare, it came down to just one vote, John McCain’s.

Reporter: Senator McCain, just days removed from his cancer diagnosis, stunning the chamber, turning the thumb’s down on the repeal bill.

Republicans have tried to dismantle our health care dozens of times…

Colorado Senator Cory Gardner, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, Montana Senator Steve Daines, and North Carolina Senator Thomas Tillis ALL supported repealing the Affordable Care Act.

And Arizona Senator Martha McSally said let’s “get this f***ing thing done” when calling for repeal.

Now we are in the middle of a pandemic and President Trump and Republicans are back. again…

Continuing their relentless quest to repeal the Affordable Care Act which provides coverage for more than 20 million Americans and protects over 135 million Americans with pre-existing conditions. It’s reckless and dangerous, especially in the middle of a pandemic.

In times like these, Americans deserve better.

Ahead of the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Protect Our Care Releases New Report on the Disproportionate Toll of the Crisis for People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and How Trump’s War on Health Care Has Only Made Things Worse

Read the Report Here

Washington, DC — Today, ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Protect Our Care is releasing a new report on how people with disabilities are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus and how early data reveals individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are seeing alarming rates of infections and deaths nationwide. There are 61 million adults with a disability in the United States and adults with disabilities are three times more likely to have chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer that put them at higher risk for severe illness if they contract the coronavirus. This report sheds light how President Trump’s disastrous response to the coronavirus and years-long war on health care has put people with disabilities at risk during this crisis. 

Report: How President Trump Put People With Disabilities At Risk Ahead Of The Pandemic

“Donald Trump has failed people with disabilities time and again, and now they are facing devastating consequences during the coronavirus crisis,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Along with higher rates of infection and death from the coronavirus, the president’s push to weaken Medicaid and terminate the Affordable Care Act in court has put millions of people with disabilities at risk of losing the coverage and care they need to survive. As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Donald Trump’s reckless war on health care and failure to lead during this pandemic has only made things worse for an already vulnerable community.” 

Washington, DC — Today, President Trump is expected to sign an executive order on drug pricing. All indications are that it’s nothing more than political cover to divert attention from his failed coronavirus response and failure to do anything to actually lower the cost of prescription drugs. Last year, Democrats in the House passed H.R. 3, which would give Medicare the power to negotiate directly with drug companies to lower drug prices — the most effective way to lower costs. The president opposed it. If the president was serious, he would have supported the House’s legislation which is overwhelmingly popular with the majority of Americans. In response to the new executive order, Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach issued the following statement in response: 

“President Trump’s executive order is a meaningless piece of paper that will do nothing to help lower the cost of prescription drugs. The president has no credibility on this issue. He’s the one who showered drug companies with billions of dollars in tax breaks while they continue to raise prices on Americans. If President Trump really cared about lowering drug prices, he wouldn’t have opposed allowing Medicaid to negotiate for drug lower prices — the single most powerful way to reduce drug prices for Americans. The president knows that voters overwhelmingly disapprove of his leadership on health care, and today’s stunt will not change that.”

BACKGROUND: 

Trump’s Failed Record and Broken Promises on Drug Pricing

Drug prices have soared under President Trump. While drug companies have continued to raise prices, Trump rewarded them with massive tax breaks and now opposes giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug costs – the single most effective measure to do so. 

• President Trump gave drug companies billions of dollars in tax breaks while they rake in massive profits and raise prices on Americans. 
• Drug prices have soared under President Trump.
• He has repeatedly talked about lowering prices based on costs in other countries, but independent experts have said his proposals would be ineffective.
• He opposes the single most important thing you can do to lower drug prices — giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower prices.
• He has repeatedly talked about lowering prices based on costs in other countries, but independent experts have said his proposals would be ineffective.

Empowered By Trump, Drug Companies Are Already Taking Advantage Of The Coronavirus Crisis

GoodRx: Pharmaceutical Companies Logged More Than 800 Price Increases In 2020 So Far. “Pharmaceutical companies logged more than 800 price increases this year, and adjusted the cost of 42 medicines upward by an average of 3.3 percent so far in July, according to GoodRx, which tracks the prices consumers pay at pharmacies. While the size of that increase is not out of line with past years, the number of branded drugs seeing hikes this month was higher than last year.” [Politico, 7/7/20] 

• GoodRx Data: Drugs Treating Respiratory Illnesses Saw Above-Average Price Increases. “Three treatments for patients with respiratory illnesses but not specifically the coronavirus — Bevespi Aerosphere, Daliresp and Tyvaso — saw hikes of 5 percent, 6 percent and 4.5 percent respectively. Tyvaso’s increases over the year total 12.8 percent and bring its list price to $18,111.22.” [Politico, 7/7/20] 

Drug Companies Working On Covid-19 Treatments And Vaccines Boosted Their Lobbying Expenditures. “Takeda, which is working to produce a plasma treatment for Covid-19, more than doubled its lobbying expenditure in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the same period a year ago: From $570,000 to $1.33 million. The manufacturers Merck and AstraZeneca, both of which are attempting coronavirus vaccines, upped their spending to $2.62 million and $780,000 — increases of $315,000 and $300,000 from the same period last year, respectively. And Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of the experimental antiviral remdesivir, upped its lobbying spend from $1.08 to $1.28 million. The Biotechnology Innovation Organization, a trade group, spent $3.32 million, up from $3.01 million.” [Stat, 7/20/20] 

Gilead Set Remdesivir’s Price At $3,120 For A Course Of Treatment After Taxpayers Spent $99 Million On Its Development. “Earlier this month, Gilead Sciences announced the price of remdesivir, a drug that shows some promise in treating COVID-19. But does it show enough promise to justify its price tag—another $3,120 total for a course of treatment on private insurance—given that taxpayers spent $99 million on its development?” [Slate, 7/20/20] 

Axios: Drugmaker Tripled The Price Of A Pill As It Pursued Coronavirus Use. “Going into this year, the list price of a 60-pill bottle of Mytesi — an antidiarrheal medication specifically for people with HIV/AIDS who are on antiretroviral drugs — was $668.52. On April 9, Jaguar Health raised the price to $2,206.52, according to pricing data from Elsevier’s Gold Standard Drug Database. Between the lines: The price hike coincides with the company’s push to get its drug to more patients — specifically those diagnosed with COVID-19.” [Axios, 4/23/20] 

Associated Press: Gilead Sciences Sought Rare Disease Status For Potential Coronavirus Treatment, Which Is Potentially Worth Millions In Tax Breaks. “The pharmaceutical giant that makes a promising coronavirus drug has registered it as a rare disease treatment with U.S. regulators, a status that can potentially be worth millions in tax breaks and competition-free sales…The FDA granted the status on Monday, according to the agency’s website. If approved for coronavirus, Gilead Sciences would receive seven years of exclusive U.S. marketing for the drug and tax credits on its research and development costs.” [Associated Press, 3/25/20] 

• Gilead Sciences Rescinded Request For Exclusivity After Backlash. “Gilead Sciences On Wednesday announced that it has submitted a request to the Food and Drug Administration to rescind the exclusive marketing rights it had secured for remdesivir, an antiviral drug that shows promise in treating Covid-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. As The Intercept reported on Monday, the FDA had awarded Gilead seven years of exclusive marketing rights to the drug through the Orphan Drug Act, even though the statute was designed to induce pharmaceutical companies to make treatments for rare diseases that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the United States.” [The Intercept, 3/25/20]

News reports this week highlighted a new poll from Public Policy Polling for Protect Our Care shows that voters in Kentucky strongly reject Mitch McConnell’s push to reopen schools in the fall even as the pandemic rages on across the country and support key provisions of the Heroes Act championed by House Democrats. As Mitch McConnell scrambles to get his caucus and the White House on the same page this week about the next COVID relief package, it’s clear their priorities are being rejected by people in McConnell’s home state and around the country who understand that the provisions outlined by Democrats such as increased federal funding for testing and a special enrollment period for the ACA are truly what’s necessary to keep them healthy and safe. 

The Hill: Poll Shows McConnell Under Pressure At Home Over Next Coronavirus Bill. “A new poll conducted by the Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling shows Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) getting pushback from voters in Kentucky because of his opposition to more federal aid to state and local governments and his call to get kids back to school quickly.” [The Hill, 7/21/20] 

Daily Kos: Kentucky Voters Reject Every McConnell Stance on COVID-19 Relief. “The voters of Kentucky roundly support the key provisions of the HEROES coronavirus relief bill from House Democrats, and roundly oppose Sen. Mitch McConnell’s push to reopen schools in the middle of the pandemic. That’s what Public Policy Polling (PPP) found in a poll conducted July 17-18 in Kentucky for Protect Our Care.” [Daily Kos, 7/22/20] 

Newsweek: Most Voters in Mitch McConnell’s Home State of Kentucky Disagree with Him on Coronavirus Federal Aid. “A majority of voters in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s home state of Kentucky disagree with his coronavirus federal aid plan, according to a new poll… The poll from Public Policy Polling also found a majority of Kentucky voters disagree with sending children back to school, a stance that McConnell has supported. According to the poll, 56 percent of voters in the state said they disagree with sending kids back to school, while 31 percent said the opposite.” [Newsweek, 7/21/20] 

Memo for Protect Our Care and PPP’s Latest Poll

Toplines for Protect Our Care and PPP’s Latest Poll 

Washington DC — Today, a new poll from Public Policy Polling for Protect Our Care shows that voters support key provisions of the recently passed coronavirus relief bill known as the Heroes Act championed by House Democrats, and strongly oppose Mitch McConnell’s push to reopen schools in the fall even as the pandemic rages on across the country. The poll finds broad support for common sense provisions in the Heroes Act like funding for coronavirus testing and treatment, and opening up a special enrollment period for Kentuckians to sign up for health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act. A majority of Kentuckians also disagree with McConnell’s stated position of opening schools back up in the fall. The poll also found that McConnell’s approval rating trails significantly to that of Democratic Governor Andy Beshear who has been a leader for Kentuckians and listened to medical experts during the pandemic.

“Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans’ blind loyalty to a president who refuses to listen to medical experts or take action to fight this virus flies in the face of their constituents who want their leaders to enact common sense solutions outlined in the Heroes Act,” said Protect Our Care Executive Director Brad Woodhouse. “Kentuckians understand that in order to fight this deadly virus we need increased federal funding for coronavirus testing and treatment and the creation of a special enrollment period to sign up for health care under the Affordable Care Act. It’s clear that Kentuckians soundly reject McConnell and Trump’s reckless position to send kids back to school in the fall without a plan or resources to do so safely. Senate Republicans are putting their desire to please this president over the grave concerns of medical experts and their own constituents who are pleading with them to put the health and safety of the nation first.” 

Key Findings From the Survey Include:

• 73% support increasing funding for testing and treatment for the coronavirus, while only 14% oppose it
• 68% support increasing federal funding for Medicaid, so states do not have to reduce Medicaid coverage and benefits during a pandemic, with only 17% opposed
• 65% support allocating $1 trillion to state and local governments to pay vital workers like first responders, health workers, and teachers, while just 21% oppose this
• 52% support creating a special enrollment period for Americans to sign up for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, while just 26% oppose it
• 61% of Kentucky voters trust medical experts more than President Trump, including a majority of independents (61%) and a plurality (42%) of Republicans
• 56% disagree with McConnell’s stated position on sending kids back to school in the fall even as coronavirus infections continue to rise
• Senator Mitch McConnell is underwater in his overall job approval in his home state by a margin of 8 points (40-48) while Governor Andy Beshear, a Democrat, has a job approval rating of 54% with Kentucky voters versus only 35% who disapprove of his performance in office

Ads Launched Today Are Part of Protect Our Care’s Previously Announced $2 Million Digital and TV Ad Campaign On Trump’s Failed Coronavirus Response 

Washington, DC — Protect Our Care is launching two new digital ads today as part of our $2 million ad campaign criticizing the Trump administration’s failed coronavirus response that put millions of Americans at grave risk. 

• “Doubling Down,” features Tarik Khan, a RN and family nurse practitioner from Pennsylvania, talking about how President Trump’s coronavirus response has been a failure from the start, and even as the crisis worsens, Trump “keeps doubling down on his mistakes and ignoring the facts.”
• “Outstrip,” features Dr. Rob Davidson, an emergency room physician from Michigan discussing how Trump’s refusal to listen to medical experts and failed response to the pandemic has resulted in spikes in cases and hospitalizations, and how these spikes threaten to “outstrip” hospitals of their PPE and resources to combat the virus. 

Watch: Doubling Down

Watch: Outstrip

The ads will run in Pennsylvania and Michigan on digital platforms and connected devices. 

These ads are the next round in a series of TV and digital ads first launched by Protect Our Care last week. As cases of coronavirus continue to spike around the country and the death toll nears 140,000, the ads urge the Trump administration to listen to medical experts and do more to protect Americans during the pandemic. All ads released as part of this campaign make clear that the coronavirus pandemic “didn’t have to be this bad.” 

It is Protect Our Care’s hope that through these ads, the administration will heed the warnings of medical professionals on the front lines and take more serious and effective action to fight the pandemic.

“President Trump’s botched coronavirus response has been catastrophic for America, and his failure to listen to the advice of medical experts or professionals on the frontlines of this crisis has only made it worse,” said Protect Our Care Chair Leslie Dach. “Health care workers know that President Trump’s refusal to take this crisis seriously has only led to spikes in cases, hospitalizations, PPE shortages and more unnecessary deaths. Americans are increasingly worried about their safety, but instead of taking action or heeding the dire warnings from medical professionals, President Trump continues to downplay the threat to the citizens he swore to protect.” 

Script for Doubling Down (:30): 

Tarik Khan: During the coronavirus, I’ve tested hundreds of patients and I’ve diagnosed hundreds of them with COVID-19.

And I could tell that they were scared. 

They know someone personally who’s died from it. 

Already over 100,000 Americans have died.

From the start, we’ve been behind the eight ball because the president was not prepared.

The president keeps doubling down on his mistakes and ignoring the facts.

This crisis did not have to be as bad as it was.  

Script for Outstrip (:30): 

Dr. Rob Davidson: I work in a rural, small town emergency department.

We’ve been seeing more patients sick enough to be admitted where the coronavirus is the primary reason that they’re there.

It would not take very long for us to outstrip our resources.

Watching the president, it’s frustrating to me that had we had an administration and specifically a president that took this seriously earlier, we would have been able to reign this in and contain this much earlier.

And fewer people would have died.