March 19, 2020

Manchin Hears From West Virginia Nurses, Doctors Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) participated in separate calls with the West Virginia Nursing Association and the West Virginia State Medical Association to hear their concerns about the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

“Our nurses, doctors and healthcare providers are on the front lines of this outbreak and we must ensure that they all have the necessary personal protective equipment (PPEs) and other supplies needed so they can care for those affected by the virus without putting themselves at risk. It is unacceptable that our healthcare workers do not have the proper equipment or sufficient tests to combat this virus because if they get sick, we will have no one to care for those affected by the coronavirus. I am continuing to advocate for our state to receive more PPEs and tests and hope that we will begin to see these supplies soon,” said Senator Manchin.

"On behalf of the nurses of WV, the WVNA greatly appreciates Senator Manchin for reaching out to us this morning via conference call. He validated our concerns about the urgency of getting PPE and COVID 19 testing to hospitals and clinics so that we can curtail the spread of this deadly virus from reaching the high number of vulnerable folks in this state. He plans to work with the WVNA, the Hospital Association and the WV Medical Association to keep health care workers and their families safe so we can be available to give care during this critical time. We are all in this together. We will do what West Virginians always do. Uniting and standing strong we will come through,” said Joyce Wilson, President of the West Virginia Nurses Association.

“In this time of uncertainty it is especially important for healthcare providers to be able to speak with their representatives. Our healthcare providers in West Virginia are the frontline of this pandemic and we appreciated the opportunity to share our concerns with Senator Manchin directly today. We will continue to work closely with him to ensure our healthcare providers are properly equipped to do their jobs safely and serve every West Virginian to the best of their abilities,” said Danny Scalise, Executive Director of the West Virginia State Medical Association.

Senator Manchin launched an information resources page where West Virginians can learn more about the coronavirus outbreak and how to protect themselves and their families. To learn more please click here. 

To receive daily updates from Senator Manchin on the coronavirus outbreak, please click here.