This past Wednesday, the House passed a bill to provide the funding President Trump requested to address coronavirus in the United States. This bill, which will soon become law, will make diagnostic tests more available, support treatment for those who have been diagnosed with the virus, and fund vaccine development. It also provides the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with response funding that will go toward state and local response efforts as well as their Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund, which ensures our country is always prepared to respond to a health threat. I was proud to vote for this legislation to ensure the CDC, National Institute of Health (NIH) and other government health agencies have everything they need to help stop this virus.

Prior to the passage of this bill, the Trump Administration had already taken decisive action to minimize the threat to the U.S. For example, enhanced screenings have been put in place for people traveling back to the United States from abroad and the Corona Virus Task Force, led by Vice President Pence, was created to ensure the most effective and rapid response possible. The task force met with governors from across the country this week to prepare their response plans should the virus be diagnosed in their state.

It has been disappointing to witness the lack of global transparency from the Chinese government as this virus spread through their country. Their blatant effort to hide the facts put their neighbors and the world at risk and wasted precious time that could have been spent developing testing and vaccines. Despite China’s negligence, the Administration continues to take the necessary steps to ensure our country’s medical community has the protection and resources they need to deal with this virus. This includes everything from protective wear for doctors and nurses while treating patients, to efforts to expedite the vaccine development for the coronavirus. President Trump is leaving no stone unturned and doing everything in his power to keep Americans as safe as possible.

Governor Parson and the Missouri state government are also being very proactive in their preparation. Missouri has been rated a “high performer” on the public health emergency preparedness scale in the United States, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has been actively engaged with hospitals, health care providers, and local public health departments across the state to ensure everyone is well-informed and stands at the ready. We share the hope that Missouri will not have a significant number of cases, but if we do, I am confident our health officials and medical providers are ready.

The spread of coronavirus is clearly a serious matter. Any health threat that takes even one life must be addressed, and it is. At the same time, please keep in mind that medical professionals are the best source of information. Media ratings are driven by chaos and, unfortunately, the political desires of some are satisfied by anything they perceive as harmful to the President. While a virus outbreak should be the last thing to become political, that is sadly not the case.

Prevention of this virus should be approached in a similar manner to flu season. Like the flu, the CDC’s coronavirus guidelines remind us to take simple steps like avoiding contact with people who are sick, staying home when sick, keeping surfaces clean, and regularly washing our hands. A full list of guidelines can be found at www.CDC.gov. If we are smart, diligent with our own health, and look out for one another, our families and communities will stay safe.