COVID-19 Update

Dear Friend,

This has been a trying few weeks for our state, as we have seen the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spread through our communities, and witnessed the devastating toll this can take on vulnerable populations. There is still so much we don't know about the virus, and those uncertainties make it more challenging to manage the spread of this disease. We are all concerned about the health and safety of our families and loved ones. The best thing we can all do is stay home, which will slow the spread of this virus and protect the elderly and vulnerable.

I wanted to provide you with another update on COVID-19 as the virus spreads to other places in our state and country. To make sure that you get future updates, make sure you sign up for my e-newsletter here: https://schrier.house.gov/contact/newsletter

I share many of your grievances about the availability and ease of testing. As frustrating as it may be to not know if your illness is from coronavirus or not, testing shouldn’t change most of how you manage your illness. It may, however, inform when you are able to return to work. And, of course, if you are a person at high risk or live with a person at high risk, the knowledge can help you be extra vigilant for worsening symptoms.

Schools and "Social Distancing"

All of the schools in the state are closed until April 24th, the Governor has announced that all restaurants, bars, and gyms must close for at least the next few weeks, and there is federal guidance now to limit gatherings to no more than 10 people. These are extremely difficult decisions. But we are at a critical point where we need to slow the spread of COVID-19 and protect the most vulnerable among us. It might seem like an overreaction to stay home when you are not sick, but acting now could prevent virus spread like we've seen in other countries. Slowing the spread will help avoid overwhelming our hospitals and medical infrastructure, and will save lives. There are only so many hospital beds and ventilators, and we need to make sure that hundreds of people don’t need them all at once.

Telephone Town Hall

Last week I held a telephone town hall with former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, to talk about what Congress has done so far, and to answer questions from concerned members of our community. Here are a few questions we got and the answers from me and Dr. Frieden: 

Question: What is its lifetime on hard surfaces, does sunlight kill it, and can your kids get it off the ground? That sort of thing. 

Rep. Schrier Answer:  "Great question, and this is going to make us all a little hygiene-oriented – so, we know that this virus can live on surfaces, and numbers that have been thrown out there have anywhere from one day to nine. Happily, it is easily killed by typical household cleaners – like bleach, for example, even dilute bleach. By cleaning the surfaces in your house, changing your clothes when you come in, washing your hands, you can avoid a lot of that. It seems to survive on smooth surfaces more than rumpled surfaces. But I think you make an excellent point – if your mailman is feeling sick, hopefully they stay home. But perhaps you want to wash your hands after opening your mail. Please be careful not to touch your face. You’re not going to get infected by this unless it goes in your eyes, nose, or mouth; if you avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth you should remain healthy."

Dr. Frieden: "You’ve covered all the information we know. There are a variety of organisms that do live in the environment for a long time but don’t jump off the walls or and make us sick. There are some that spread widely that way; I’ll give you two very contrasting examples: the Norovirus, gets onto doorknobs and elevator buttons and other surfaces – most notably on cruise ships – and can spread very widely. And that requires intensive efforts to clean those ships very carefully because that virus happens to be extraordinarily infectious, just a few viral particles will infect you... But for all (pathogens) of them, there are certain things we can do that are sensible. Wash our hands regularly. Anytime you are going to eat anything, wash your hands. Cover your cough, cover your sneezes with the crook of your elbow – not your hands, do not go out if you’re sick, and it’s an excellent idea to stop shaking hands. We’ve seen in other countries where folks have used these tactics that instances of COVID 19 have gone down as well as other illnesses, such as the flu."

Question: “If you’re not running a fever, does that mean you don’t have the virus?” 

Rep. Schrier Answer: "We don’t know. We think that classic symptoms are having a fever and a dry cough. We also know that kids seemingly have no symptoms. This begs the question:  How many people out there have mild to no symptoms but could still pass the disease to others? This is why it’s so important for everyone to practice careful personal hygiene. We presume, like other viruses, you are at your most contagious while exhibiting these symptoms. We also know people are contagious before they manifest symptoms. This is what makes it so difficult to deal with."

Question: “I’m curious, my wife is taking chemotherapy and so we’re keeping her away from things, but I’m just curious – if one does start to display symptoms, how is the best way to gauge medical services. Drive to the emergency room or call 911, or how to keep the community safe yet engaged." 

Rep. Schrier Answer: "First of all – best wishes to your wife and I hope for her speedy and complete recovery. I think the question of when you go to the doctor is an important one. Because, going to the doctor could put you at risk if you don’t really need medical care yet it could also put other people at risk if you go and you do have coronavirus. If you exhibit mild symptoms, a fever and a cough, stay home. If you exhibit severe symptoms, such as being short of breath or exhibiting chest pain, always call your doctor if you are on the verge of making that decision and they can guide you. Let your doctor know if you are coming in so you can get a face mask and not expose other people. Another great resource is the WA state Department of Health, their website or their phone number. They can help with that decision-making process. Also, how to go about notifying before going in."

To make sure you get notified about my next telephone town hall, which will likely be during the week of March 23rd, sign up here: https://schrier.house.gov/contact/newsletter

This week I was also on CNN talking to Chris Cuomo about COVID-19 and what we know so far. You can see the appearance here. 

What Congress is Doing

Last week I introduced a bill (No Cost for COVID-19 Testing Act) that will require all health insurers to pay for the test and doctor's visit at no cost to the patient. This builds on the great work Washington state's Insurance Commissioner has done to have state health plans and people who are un-insured receive the test for free as well. We do not want cost to be a deterrent.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which the House just passed and included the No Cost for COVID-19 Testing Act, will also provide 14 days of sick leave for people who cannot work because they are sick or in self-quarantine, and additional time for paid family leave, if you need to care for a sick family member or child. As a doctor, I want to make sure that people who are sick are staying home to rest and recover, and not going to work and spreading the virus. 

We know that school and business closures are going to take a big toll on the economy, possibly for months. This short term pain is designed to avoid a much larger economic hit. So the bill we passed this week is just the first of several legislative actions we will be taking to help families and businesses recover. 

As always, please contact any of my offices if we can be helpful in anyway. Contact information is below or you can reply to this email.

More soon. 

Sincerely,

Kim Schrier, M.D.
Member of Congress