Greetings from Washington, DC!
This issue of the Update is devoted in large part to coronavirus-related policy and information, including information about insurance coverage for testing and treatment for COVID-19, the illness that results from the virus. Top line message: It is time to start practicing “social distancing,” especially for individuals at high risk of serious illness from the virus.
Check out the Family Voices coronavirus webpage, and the end of this Update for information and resources, including how to get extra prescription medications so you can stay away from crowded places. A couple highlights: Apple says it’s now OK to use disinfectant wipes to clean your iPhone (but read the article for instructions); How soap absolutely annihilates the coronavirus (this might make it more interesting for your kids wash their hands); and very important: ‘Flattening the curve’ may be the world’s best bet to slow the coronavirus (STAT, 3/11).
Quote of the week: “No matter our politics, no matter our race, creed, or color, it is at moments such as this that everything that divides us falls away, and we realize what unites every last one of us as human beings: None of us can stop touching our face.” From Preparing for the Coronavirus Disruption (National Review, 3/9/20).
Encourage confidence to act