Debbie's Blog
Dingell Update: October 28, 2020
Washington,
October 28, 2020
Here is an update for October 28th. Thought of the day: “You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.” – Pubilius Syrus Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise throughout Michigan. On Tuesday, Michigan added 2,367 new cases and 28 deaths due to COVID-19, bringing Michigan’s total case count to 164,274 and deaths to 7,239. It is deadly important Michiganders do not tire of following CDC guidelines of maintaining social distance and wearing a face mask. As Gov. Chris Christie wrote after contracting COVID-19 and being hospitalized, “these minor inconveniences can save your life, your neighbors, and the economy.” Mask up Michigan and maintain 6 feet of social distance to keep yourself, your family, and others safe. Last week, I received a heartbreaking letter from one of my constituents who lost both of their grandparents within 48 hours after they both contracted COVID-19. Unfortunately for many Americans, this story is all too real. Over 226,000 Americans are now dead as a result of COVID-19. That’s 226,000 empty chairs at the dinner table that were once filled with a loved one. Without a change in the current state of COVID, at least 200,000 more Americans are expected to succumb to this virus. Please do your part, wear a mask and social distance, so we can control this virus that is ravaging our communities and families. Last week, the FDA approved remdesivir as the first COVID-19 treatment. Previously, a trial by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed that remdesivir was able to cut the hospital stays of patients with COVID-19. Clinical trials on the drug continue to evaluate the success of the drug across different populations. On the vaccine front, Thursday, Moderna became the first pharmaceutical company working on a COVID-19 vaccine to enter late-stage trials. This means that Moderna could have a vaccine ready for distribution by early December. However, we must remember that health experts do not expect a vaccine to be widely available until spring 2021. As we wait for a vaccine to become available for public use, we must continue to follow CDC guidelines to prevent a sharper spike in cases and another potential shutdown of the economy. Time after time, we hear that health care is the most important issue to Americans. People want to know that they are covered if they or a loved one falls ill. Yet, earlier this week, President Trump sat down for an interview with 60 Minutes where he said, “I hope they end [the Affordable Care Act (ACA)].” If the Supreme Court rules against the ACA, 720,000 Michiganders are at risk of becoming uninsured, 73,000 young adults could lose their coverage, and 4.1 million Michiganders with pre-existing conditions are at risk of losing their protections. We heard for the last four years that President Trump intends to “repeal and replace,” but where is the replacement? It’s been four years and we haven’t even seen a rough draft. If the Supreme Court rules against the ACA, we MUST have a plan in place to protect the millions of Americans that will lose their health care coverage, virtually overnight. Monday, the Senate voted to confirm Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. This confirmation presents a number of concerning issues, from how this new justice will rule on such important issues like health care, to the sham of a confirmation process that broke precedent Senate Republicans set just a few years ago. We are 6 days away from Election Day and millions of Americans have already voted, this confirmation should have never moved forward this close to the election. Team Dingell is here seven days a week and wants to listen and help. It isn’t as smooth as we want on some issues, but we will never stop fighting for you. Call our office at 313-278-2936 or contact us through Facebook or our webpage. |