We are in the middle of a fast expanding pandemic

The United States has an opportunity to avoid or mitigate the overwhelming of hospitals as seen in Hubei, China, and Lombardy, Italy. Given the exponential rate at which the undetected virus spreads, investing in testing now, alongside other public health measures, will save lives, spare hospitals, and ultimately save funds. A similar per capita rate to South Korea would suggest approximately 70,000 tests a day, nationwide, should be conducted in the USA. However, according to the CDC's website, as of March 12, the last complete data available (March 6) shows a mere 137 tests run by the CDC and 1162 by public health labs.

It is our responsibility to come together to protect the lives of those around us by limiting the spread of this disease as much as possible and caring for the tens of millions whose health, jobs, families and communities will be impacted. Utility companies must not cut off essential resources including water, power, and gas to ensure everyone has the ability to take care of themselves and their families. There are thousands of people already hit with the financial burden of missing work for a quarantine, to care for a loved one or children when school is cancelled, being laid off, and many more as this crisis grows. COVID-19 has revealed the interconnectedness of our country and our world -- that the health and well being of one is intimately bound to the health and well being of all. Now, we must rise to the occasion and care for each other and support one another.

While there have been many great steps taken to afford those with health insurance support during this outbreak by the President, Congress, state governments and the Health Insurance industry in the form of reduced or no copay on COVID-19 testing and care, there have been no such provisions made for those without health insurance. This is important because it will leave millions of uninsured people to foot a bill of an untold amount in a time that they are likely to be out of work should they contract COVID-19, which will inevitably result in people being forced to make the decision to get medical care or to go without. This could end up resulting in even an wider spread of COVID-19 as people who cannot afford medical help go un-diagnosed and untreated. Such an action would speak volumes to the commitment to the health of not only the currently insured but also the uninsured people of the country. Please open up a special enrollment for health insurance in this trying time, people should be able to get covered immediately without having to wait until November. Should this happen it would not only be of benefit to the uninsured, but to all Americans. Please tell the leaders of the nation, and health insurance companies to open up enrollment for health insurance so that all might get treatment during this outbreak.

For many COVID-19 is a life threatening illness. Given the current situation with coronavirus I think FCPS should do the right thing and close the schools for a few weeks. It is clear from the numbers in the rest of the world that if we shut things down now we have a much better chance of containing the virus. I know that we have several snow days already built in to the school year. We can use them now and help stop the spread of the virus. I could keep my own children home but it’s not going to help unless everyone keeps their children home. Below are links to a few articles I’ve found defending this idea: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-cancel-everything/607675/ And https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca If we take things seriously and “quarantine” now we can prevent this virus from overwhelming our medical system like it seems to have done in Northern Italy. But we need our leadership to guide us. I promise I will defend you when other parents complain that closing the schools is an over reaction. Believe me when I say I don’t look forward to spending weeks at home with my children (even though I love them very much!)

By allowing workers to stay home without fear of being unable to make rent and allowing people to buy health insurance, EVERYONE will be better off as it will help slow the spread of the virus. Also, if more people get health insurance, the insurance pool will be bigger, and presumably younger people who opted not to get insurance will be motivated to get covered.

This is a health hazard for many students in DVC. The first case of corona virus has been announced in the Contra Costa County, where Diablo Valley College’s Pleasant Hill campus is located.

When I look at the Democratic field I see a lot of talent and good ideas. But this positive message is lost in the bickering that makes them all so unattractive. Democrats have a mission to serve the needs of all classes, all races in this country including former Trump voters. People are tired of fighting. Give them hope and unity and a positive cohesive message.

The spread of the coronavirus is a major national and global public health crisis. It should be a moment where our government works quickly and effectively to stop a pandemic. Instead, as the Intercept reported, Congressional leaders are considering adding an extremely controversial provision reauthorizing mass spying on the American people to a must-pass coronavirus spending bill. Key portions of the Patriot Act are due to expire on March 15. This includes Section 215, the notorious provision that enabled our government to conduct mass surveillance on the American people. Members of both parties in Congress have tried to prevent Section 215 from being reauthorized, so we can shut down this abusive spying for good. But Congressional leaders are strongly considering adding a reauthorization of Section 215 to the coronavirus spending bill, forcing members of Congress to choose between public health and our constitutional rights. We need to mobilize NOW and tell Congress this is an unacceptable, shady, and offensive idea. Congress needs to pass a clean coronavirus funding bill. And they need to shut down Section 215 for good.

Currently Nevada does not have mandated nurse-to-patient ratios. SB 362 is a bill that will set a minimum standard for safe staffing in hospitals. Research has proven that setting safe nurse-to-patient ratios prevents patient deaths, decreases medication errors, and decreases hospital length of stay. Research has also shown that Registered Nurses are more effective in providing safe patient care when not overburdened by unmanageable patient assignments (NYSNA's Education, Practice and Research Program, 2013). This bill will improve patient outcomes, patient and nurse satisfaction, and contribute to the provision of superior care for our local community by our healthcare facilities.

I'm a Hoboken parent, my 66-year-old mother lives here, and I know many neighbors who this power plant would put at most risk; children, older adults, and people with cardiovascular, lung or respiratory problems. The NJ Transit Fossil Fuel Power Plant is a $546 million, 140-megawatt natural gas-fired project that would mostly be paid by a Superstorm Sandy Resilience grant. This is a huge contradiction. 1) The proposed site is an active flood plain, and the plant would become the 13th largest emitter of greenhouse gases in New Jersey, dumping 577,000 tons of Carbon Dioxide equivalent greenhouse gases annually. 2) Ironically, NJ Transit describes this plant as a resiliency project, but the greenhouse gas emissions from the plant would add to the chances of more climate emergencies like Superstorm Sandy. 3) There are cleaner solutions to the resiliency problems that NJ Transit wants to solve with this plant. Those solutions can deliver the same amount of power with much less risk to Hoboken residents – but NJ Transit has not explored them. Renewable technology alternatives – quickly becoming more cost-effective -- include zero-emission technologies like a solar-powered microgrid along with wind and tidal forces combined with battery storage. WHAT’S SO BAD ABOUT GAS-FIRED POWER PLANTS? - Gas infrastructure facilities can annually emit into the air hundreds of tons of pollutants including particulate matter, toxic chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, mercury, and criteria pollutants (such as nitrogen oxides which cause smog, acid rain and contribute to ozone production), some of which are known carcinogens such as benzene and formaldehyde which are known to increase the severity of asthma and other respiratory diseases. - Particulate matter, once inhaled, can affect the heart and lungs and cause serious health effects including lung cancer. - Long-term exposure to ozone is linked to aggravation of asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis, and it is likely to be one of many causes of asthma development. - Long-term exposures to ozone may also be linked to permanent lung damage, such as abnormal lung development in children. Please sign the petition to prevent NJ Transit from building a polluting gas-fired power plant within 4 miles of Hoboken.

“There are two animals that walk the earth that don’t swim by instinct, and therefore must be taught; Chimpanzees and Humans” (Bonnie Tsui, 2020 “Why We Swim”) “Swimming is Unlike any other Subject; It is a Life-Saving Skill” Drownings are the number one killer of children under age 5. Worse, for every drowning victim, there are four near-drownings. That is, when someone has been deprived of oxygen for a sufficient amount of time to cause brain damage. Drowning is preventable with swimming lessons and water safety instruction and safer places to swim. Studies have shown that when a community has a public pool, drownings decrease. Swimming used to be as popular as going to the movies; there were huge magnificent municipal pools in many places. They had the Fleishecker Pool and Sutro Baths in San Francisco. The Fleishecker could accommodate 10,000 swimmers and had sandy beaches and lifeguards in rowboats. The tilework and statues were beautiful--museum quality. According to Jeff Wiltse, (Contested Waters--The Social History of Swimming Pools in America, 2007) these fancy municipal pools were for whites only; the black communities had more austere pools--but swimming was popular in both places and lessons were free. In 1947 when the Jim Crow laws expired, blacks could then go to the fancy pools. So many of the plain pools closed when blacks could go to the fancy pools, but they found themselves sometimes unwelcome and whites generally stayed away. Little by little the fabulous municipal pools shuttered. This was when people of means built backyard pools and started private clubs. Swimming stayed popular with anyone lucky enough to have access to a pool. Unfortunately, people that didn’t swim didn't prioritize teaching their children to swim and now we are on the third generation of some non swimmers--and it is really a class issue. But it plays out racially. In 2014 The Center for Disease Control (CDC) did their first ever report on the racial disparity in drownings. The results are alarming. People of color drown at much higher rates than whites. Latinos, Asians, and Blacks drown significantly more often than others.  Swimming pools are expensive to build and maintain, so unless people ask for one, they don’t get built and maintained. In Sacramento, CA where the average July temperature is 94 F, there are few inner city public pools, yet the suburbs are still building them.  Roseville built their aquapark in 1995, and they have two other municipal pools (67%white community).  North Natomas built a $43 million aqua park in 2019 -- 70% white neighborhood.  Elk Grove (45% white and 29% Asian) has three Aqua parks,   Davis has eight municipal pools and is building a $13.6 million aquatic center for 2023.  Because of the lack of access to municipal pools and swimming lessons, there is a huge racial disparity in accidental drownings. An 11 y/o black child is now 10X more likely to drown than a white. Swimming is unlike any other sport; it is a life-saving skill.