Doctors CouncilStand with Doctors Council Members in asking your U.S. Senators and Representative to take action so we have what we need to fight COVID-19
| Dear Doctor: We are asking you to join Doctors Council SEIU in calling on your federal elected officials to take real action to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure we and all frontline healthcare workers receive the resources we need, especially Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including N95 masks, to care for our patients and protect ourselves. Add Your Voice To The Call For Real Action All of us working tirelessly to fight this pandemic know that we are running out of PPE, ventilators, beds and healthy workers needed to care for our patients and communities. Knowing this we are asking our federal elected officials to take action and support the following: 1.) Mobilize the full resources of the federal government to guarantee adequate PPE for all healthcare workers on the frontline exposed to COVID-19, including by enacting the powers of the Defense Production Act (DPA) to direct the production and distribution of PPE and ventilators. Reallocate the existing supplies that exist in stockpiles so that those geographical areas hardest hit by the pandemic are prioritized. 2.) Reinstate the longstanding Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines that governed the correct use of PPE when treating suspected and positive infectious disease cases such as COVID-19 patients to reflect clinical fact rather than availability of supplies. This is necessary to ensure healthcare workers, who are falling ill at alarming rates, are protected from contracting and spreading the virus. 3.) Permit doctors in high risk categories, including elderly, those with comorbid conditions or immunosuppression, or pregnant women to seek reasonable accommodations that will exempt them from direct care with COVID-19 patients, unless they request to opt-in. 4.) Drastically increase the availability of COVID-19 testing, including healthcare workers being able to be tested if they believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms. Create a national or statewide hotline where patients can seek advice on testing and care. Ensure free testing for all patients meeting criteria for testing including the cost of the associated healthcare visit. 5.) Institute or maintain strict social distancing and shelter in place policies to deter the spread of COVID-19 based on the advice of doctors and public health officials. 6.) Place a national moratorium on evictions and provide adequate facilities to be used for isolation housing for patients with known or suspected COVID-19. 7.) Expand on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act and Emergency Medicaid to guarantee access to free healthcare and public services for low income and undocumented immigrants affected by COVID-19 with no impact on their immigration status. 8.) Take action to ensure frontline healthcare workers are deployed to areas currently at the epicenter of the pandemic. Allow licensed doctors and nurses to voluntarily practice in states other than where they are licensed and provide indemnification/malpractice coverage in such circumstances. Provide indemnification/malpractice coverage for retired doctors and nurses assisting in the COVID-19 response. Provide financial incentives and assistance for doctors and nurses to travel to work in highly affected areas. Stand with us in calling on your federal elected officials to take these necessary actions now so we can protect ourselves, our patients, and our communities. Sincerely, Frank Proscia, M.D. Kevin Collins President Executive Director Click to Here to Take Action and Email Your U.S. Senators and House of Representatives |