March 10, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 46 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
All in House sectionPrev4 of 81Next
PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM CORONAVIRUS; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 46
(House of Representatives - March 10, 2020)
Text available as:
Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Pages H1559-H1560] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM CORONAVIRUS The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline) for 5 minutes. Mr. CICILLINE. Madam Speaker, as the number of coronavirus cases rises, it is important that our constituents have the information they need to protect themselves, so I am going to use my 5 minutes today to walk through what doctors and health experts know and what Congress has done in response. First, there is no vaccine to prevent coronavirus, so taking steps to protect yourself is paramount. As much as possible, avoid contact with individuals who are already sick. If you yourself are sick, stay home. There is no need to go to work and risk getting other people sick as well. Try to avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose, and mouth. If you have to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with a tissue. If you don't have a tissue, use your sleeve. Be sure that you are cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces, like doorknobs and phones. If you feel compelled to wear a face mask, be sure that you check the CDC's recommendations. Face masks are not recommended for people who are trying to protect themselves from respiratory diseases. This includes coronavirus. However, face masks are recommended if you are showing symptoms of coronavirus or another respiratory disease. Most importantly, the CDC recommends that you wash your hands frequently. Do so with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. You should especially wash your hands after using the restroom; before you eat; and after you blow your nose, cough, or sneeze. If you are unable to wash your hands but have a sanitizer available, the CDC recommends that it be alcohol-based with at least 60 percent alcohol. As the coverage of this ongoing outbreak continues and the number of positive cases grows, it is also important that the American people know what the symptoms of coronavirus actually are. According to the CDC, coronavirus symptoms may appear as soon as 2 days and as late as 14 days after exposure. These symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you are suffering from these symptoms, you should stay home. Do not rush to the emergency room, a minute clinic, or another medical facility. While you are at home, do your best to stay away from your family or other people you may regularly encounter. The next step is to call your doctors and let them know that you are exhibiting symptoms of coronavirus. They will tell you the next steps you should take. If they want you to come in for a test, this call will allow your healthcare provider to take the necessary steps to keep other people from getting infected. If you are going to the doctor or out in public with symptoms, now is the time to wear a face mask. If your symptoms continue to worsen, call your doctor and seek prompt medical attention. Be sure that your doctor is in contact with your local or State health department. This will make the monitoring or self-monitoring process easier for both you and health officials. If you are instructed to self-quarantine, stay at home until you are instructed to leave. This will minimize [[Page H1560]] the risk of transmitting the disease to others. Finally, we have an obligation to each other to do everything we can to prevent the further spread of this disease. Again, if you do not feel well or you have any of these symptoms, do not go to work. This includes my colleagues and my staff here in the Capitol, some of whom have already made the responsible decision to self-quarantine themselves. We have had briefings from administration officials leading the national effort to get this outbreak under control. We know how serious this is. Now is the time to lead by example. That is why, last week, Congress approved a massive $8.3 billion emergency appropriations package to address the scale and seriousness of the coronavirus epidemic. I was especially glad to see that this package included several key provisions that meet needs specific to my home State of Rhode Island, where we have three confirmed cases already. This includes nearly $1 billion for drugs, masks, lab tests, and additional resources that will be provided to State and local health agencies; $7 billion in low-interest loans to affected small businesses, to help cushion the economic blow of this public health emergency; $3 billion for research and development of treatments and vaccines; and $300 million to ensure those vaccines are affordable. Most importantly, this bill gives doctors and public health experts the resources they need to do their jobs. We have the best doctors, scientists, and researchers in the world. Now is the time to let them do what they do best without feeling pressure from politicians, including the President. I am pleased also that the Speaker yesterday sent a Dear Colleague letter which identifies some of the issues that remain of importance to us that we are going to focus on in sort of the second effort by the Congress: paid sick leave, enhanced unemployment insurance, food security, clear protections for frontline workers, widespread testing for the coronavirus, as well as affordable treatments for all, anti- price-gouging protections, and increasing the capacity of our medical system. I really want to thank the Speaker for identifying those issues which remain unaddressed and which the Congress must address in a full and comprehensive response to this public health crisis. ____________________
All in House sectionPrev4 of 81Next