The President and First Lady Trump have contracted COVID-19

Family Values @ Work is a movement network of grassroots coalitions in more than two dozen states working to win paid family and medical leave, earned sick and safe days, and affordable, high-quality childcare at the state and national levels. Today, Wendy Chun-Hoon, executive director of Family Values @ Work, released the following statement on President and First Lady Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis. 

It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that President and First Lady Trump have contracted COVID-19. As health officials have made clear, disregarding sensible guidelines like masks and social distancing compounds the risk of catching and spreading the coronavirus.

They are now part of the 7.3 million people nationwide who have been infected by the virus. Unlike many of those people, however, they will have the very best of care, and can take the time they need to deal with the virus without risking their jobs or livelihood. They also are able to quarantine at the White House with a range of services that all Americans need, like publicly funded healthcare, assurance of meals, childcare, and transportation, not to mention the best testing and treatment.

This disparity is deeply troubling. Also troubling is the unknown number of workers nationwide who Trump and his administration have had contact with: those who prepare and serve their food; care for them in their home and when they travel; or those who’ve attended recent events. How many essential workers might become sick because of their proximity to the powerful?

The sobering truth is that more than 208,000 Americans have died from the very same infection that the First Family currently have, many because they themselves didn’t have paid sick leave, or because their loved ones didn’t have paid time to care for them.

We call on the Senate to act now on passing the HEROES Act, so all Americans will have access to paid sick days and emergency family leave, no matter who they are, who they love, or where they work. Now is the time for us to emerge a stronger nation, one that values all of us and that will open the door to a new economy founded on an infrastructure of caring, equity, and respect.

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