March 23, 2020 - Washington - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last Friday spoke with health care experts and hospital administrators from UCSF, UCLA, Stanford, The University of California President’s Office and the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

“I had an excellent call today with heath care experts from across the state about our preparedness to confront the coronavirus.

“The biggest takeaway was that these health care facilities are doing all they can to prepare for a possible surge in coronavirus patients. And almost as important, they know where they need more help.

“Everyone on the call agreed on the importance of social distancing and adhering to state directives to shelter at home. They spoke of neighboring Italian provinces, one that practiced social distancing and the other that didn’t. The province that kept people apart saw 80 percent fewer cases.

“The hospitals are also doing all they can to expand their capacity for critical care. They have canceled elective procedures, emptied hospitals as much as possible and greatly expanded critical care beds.

“They also know where they need help. They spoke to the need for personal protective equipment, test kits, federal funding flexibility and strategies to ensure that doctors, nurses and support staff are available for work. I will do all I can to advocate for those needs in the legislation being developed in the Senate.

“They’re also focused on long-term needs, which means research. These institutions are focused on improving and accelerating coronavirus testing as well as developing a vaccine and therapeutic treatments.

“I’m confident these hospitals and research institutions have a firm grasp on the challenges ahead. I look forward to working closely with them to ensure that California’s medical professionals and health care researchers have everything they need to fight this virus.”
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein