Corona Virus Update 6/6

Yesterday marked 89 days since the first confirmed case of Covid in Connecticut and 15 days since the beginning of reopening

Currently, 350 are hospitalized 

43,460 have tested positive 

4,038 have died. 

Yesterday, Earl Scheithe picked up AFT PPE for our members at the American School for the Deaf, Robin Lupacchino picked up the East Hartford School Nurses and PSRPs and Kristin Scanlon Malloy and her husband picked up for West Haven Teachers and PSRPs. 

Thank you for doing this. It was good to see you. 

A message from Congressman Joe Courtney:

Honoring the Life of Elva Graveline

Last weekend, I was in New London to honor the life of Elva Graveline, one of our local health care heroes, who passed away due to COVID-19.  America is facing some unprecedented challenges right now, and one of them continues to be the economic and health crisis brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. Everyone in our region is banding together to help each other through this pandemic, but it’s our health care professionals—nurses, doctors, EMTs and others—who are farthest ahead on the front lines, keeping all of our communities safe and healthy.  

Elva Graveline was a mother, wife, grandmother, and a CNA who dedicated more than 20 years of her life caring for patients at Lawrence + Memorial hospital. Last Saturday I joined some of her family members, co-workers, fellow AFT union members, and other health care workers and officials at an event in New London to honor her memory, and to call for stronger protections for our health care workers.  

People like Elva dedicate themselves to serving our communities, and they put themselves in harm’s way to do it. They need more help during this pandemic. There can’t be a higher priority in our response to COVID-19 than ensuring that the people battling on the front lines of this global health care crisis are protected to the greatest extent possible. The implementation of reasonable, enforceable safety standards for air-borne pathogens in hospitals and health care facilities across the U.S. is a critical and necessary step to ensure the health and safety our heroes. Bills like The HEROES Act, which we passed in the House, would finally put some of these standards in place. 

Congressman Courtney speaking at the AFT rally in memory of Elva Graveline in New London

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There are thousands of people in our region who have continued to perform essential work throughout the pandemic—from our nurses and doctors, to the shipyard workers down at EB, truck drivers and mail carriers, and many others. One of the major reasons we passed The HEROES Act was to create a new Hazard Pay Fund for these workers. There’s no doubt they’ve earned it through their service to our communities. 

Be well,

John