A month and a half into the COVID-19 crisis, millions across our state are experiencing hardship and a great disruption of our lives and routines. While there remain many unknowns about the virus, what has become clear is that government has a fundamental responsibility to protect public safety and to mitigate the economic hardship that everyday working people are experiencing. It is clear that our government and elected leaders were not prepared for this crisis. But it is time for them to step up and act boldly and in concert for the common good.

Until yesterday, Governor Tom Wolf had been holding firm on a stay-at-home order and other important safety measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. We are deeply troubled by the Governor's announcement yesterday to loosen social distancing guidelines before increasing testing, a move that will endanger millions of people already working on the frontlines of this pandemic. 

Our health and safety come first.

No price tag can be put on our lives. Physical distance policies have been working—slowing the spread of the disease, and saving countless lives. While we're all eager to get back to our lives and our jobs, we can only do so in a manner and at a pace that is safe for workers and safe for our communities. This means massively expanding our capacity for both diagnostic and antibody testing and making sure all Pennsylvanians have access to testing and treatment.

We need our government to step up.

We need our government to take greater responsibility for mitigating this crisis, keeping us safe, and ensuring that all of us can meet our needs. No one should have to choose between making ends meet and getting COVID-19. All Pennsylvanians have made sacrifices in this fight, and front-line workers and those with low-incomes have borne the greatest burden. We call on the Governor to provide more economic relief so that everyone can make ends meet in this crisis, not put more lives on the line.

We call on Gov Wolf to immediately enact:

• Mandated protections for essential workers, 

• Universal testing for Pennsylvanians by massively expanding and centralizing the production and distribution of COVID-19 diagnostic and antibody tests across the state, and expanding CHIP to cover all Pennsylvanians,

• A statewide rent and mortgage moratorium, and

• The release of as many prisoners and detainees as possible.

None of us are safe until all of us are safe. We're in this together.