Advocacy Letter on COVID-19

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March 18, 2020 Letter to Mayor Bowser and Councilman White From: Jamila White Humanitarian, DC Resident, WCAPS Member Dear Mayor Bowser and Councilman White, I hope this email finds you and your families safe and well. As a Ward 8 resident and seasoned Emergency Response Specialist and Humanitarian, I want to applaud and commend you on the steps taken within the last week to slow the spread of COVID 19. I know firsthand how difficult it is to take drastic efforts that disrupt everyday life, infringe on daily enjoyment and freedoms and affect the economy and families. As former Secretary Michael O. Leavit said in 2007, "everything we do before a pandemic will seem alarmist. Everything we do after a pandemic will seem inadequate. This is the dilemma we face, but it should not stop us from doing what we can to prepare.” I also know that yourselves, emergency responders and health officials are working around the clock with little sleep and at the same time making plans for your own families. No words can express our gratitude, thank you all. Though DC is making considerable progress, driving around the city and talking to residents one would think it’s any given Saturday or Spring Break. People are touring the mall, riding water paddle boats, playing volleyball, gathering outside and spreading the virus. Behavior is not changing - we are very much behind containing and controlling this outbreak and need drastic measures to catchup and eventually contain the outbreak. While the next 14 days are critical, we know that this pandemic is going to last for the next several months. Two days ago, the NY Times ran an article that stated, “around the world the official virus count has climbed above 142,000. In the United States, scientist expect that between tens of millions and 215 million Americans will ultimately be infected, and the death toll could range from the tens of thousands to 1.7 million.” While no one knows the infection or death rate, we need to plan for worst case by intensifying response efforts for the next 3 months to flatten the curve and save thousands of Washingtonians. I know you have some of the brightest brains managing the response however after working frontline on the West Africa Ebola Response, Hurricane Dorian, Refugee Camps and in protracted conflict countries for well over a decade, my suggestions reflect firsthand solutions that work. These suggestions do not include security, economic recovery, or medical/epidemiology recommendations. Overall, we need to shut this city down for no less than 30 days until mass testing and containment efforts can occur. America is the richest nation in the world with an abundance of financial and intellectual resources to fight this epidemic. Now we need the political will.


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