Health Professionals Petition for Social Responsibility During COVID-19: An Open Letter
As Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, we fight to prevent the gravest threats to human health, threats for which prevention is the only cure. As health professionals, it's our duty to fight for a socially responsible relief and recovery from COVID-19.
This petition, to be delivered to the WA Congressional Delegation and members of the State House and Senate, aims to ensure an equitable response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that policy makers protect the most vulnerable. We aim to gather signatures from 1,000 WA state health professionals. Please add your name at bottom, and help amplify the demands and voices of health and medical professionals during this critical time.
We call on Washington Members of Congress and State Legislators to serve the people and ensure that the state's response to COVID-19 upholds the following principles:
(1) HEALTH IS THE TOP PRIORITY, FOR ALL PEOPLE, WITH NO EXCEPTIONS
Provide free and accessible COVID-19 testing, treatment and care for all, regardless of immigration or insurance status. Low-income people and communities of color disproportionately suffer the health impacts of COVID-19 but continue to face barriers in accessing life-saving health treatment and care.
Keep essential workers safe during the COVID-19 crisis. Enhance protections for all workers on the frontlines - including low-wage workers and undocumented immigrants - by providing urgent funding for personal protective equipment (PPE), and paid sick and family care leave for all.
Increase investments in public health departments. In countless communities, local health departments have been subject to decades of budget cuts -- creating capacity challenges to respond to urgent threats like COVID-19.
(2) PROVIDE ECONOMIC RELIEF DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE
Put money directly in the hands of those in need. Provide consistent and progressive cash assistance payments to all experiencing financial precarity throughout the duration of the public health crisis and the economic recession.
Protect public investments and the social safety net. The COVID-19 economic crisis cannot be used as an excuse to implement austerity measures and cuts to public spending when social programs are needed most to meet people's basic needs.
Reform regressive tax codes. As recovery takes shape, our tax code and state funding streams must be reformed so that the economic burden of the crisis does not fall on the backs of those who can least afford it.
(3) RESCUE WORKERS AND COMMUNITIES, NOT CORPORATE EXECUTIVES
Ensure environmental protections and standards are maintained
Resist massive, “no strings attached” fossil fuel company bailouts and use stimulus money to support a transition away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy.
Mandate worker protections with any relief and stimulus directed towards coal, oil, and gas companies.
COVID-19 carries special health risks for many members of radiation and chemically exposed communities because individuals and communities impacted by the development, testing, and production of nuclear weapons often have so many underlying factors which magnify their risks, including these exposures, air and water pollution, poverty, poor nutrition and institutionalized racism, etc. Dollars for relief should prioritize vulnerable communities and represent a shift away from military spending to spending for the public good.
(4) MAKE A DOWN PAYMENT ON A REGENERATIVE ECONOMY, WHILE PREVENTING FUTURE CRISES
This Administration’s spending includes nearly $49 billion for nuclear weapons for the coming year. By comparison, that would be enough money to provide 300,000 ICU beds, 35,000 ventilators, and pay the salaries of 150,000 nurses and 75,000 doctors. Even after that, there would still be $14 billion left over to produce face masks and other protective equipment to offset the shortage being felt by many hospitals.
Increase federal aid to state and local governments throughout the economic recession to help spur local economies and prevent harmful budget cuts.
Incorporate long term energy transition goals into relief and stimulus packages, including reduction requirements for carbon pollution
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