April 13, 2020 - Washington - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) last week sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom in support of his efforts to procure personal protective equipment and urging him to make that equipment available to all frontline workers during the outbreak.

            “I write in support of your leadership in procuring 200 million masks a month, so that essential workers on the frontlines across California are protected during the coronavirus pandemic,” wrote Senator Feinstein.

            “Outside our hospitals and clinics, nursing home aides, grocery clerks, agricultural workers, public transportation operators, and educators running school meal programs, among others, are putting themselves at risk to provide necessary resources for the public and they should have access to the state’s masks supply and other PPE.”

            Full text of the letter is available here and below.

April 10, 2020

The Honorable Gavin Newsom
Governor
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Governor Newsom,

            I write in support of your leadership in procuring 200 million masks a month, so that essential workers on the frontlines across California are protected during the coronavirus pandemic.  In addition to health care workers and first responders, I ask that you ensure all workers at high-risk of exposure to COVID-19 have access to much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) as the pandemic continues.

            Thanks to the first-in-the-nation steps taken to limit the spread of the coronavirus by you at the state level as well as in counties and cities, we’re already seeing positive early signs that these measures are working.  While these interventions are helping to slow the spread, securing additional PPE like masks for all essential workers in high-risk environments is vital to shore-up our response. 

            Outside our hospitals and clinics, nursing home aides, grocery clerks, agricultural workers, public transportation operators, and educators running school meal programs, among others, are putting themselves at risk to provide necessary resources for the public and they should have access to the state’s masks supply and other PPE.  I urge you to consider all essential workers at risk who may need masks to ensure their personal safety on the job.

            Thank you again for your leadership during this national public health crisis.

Sincerely,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein