Petition to Governor Larry Hogan: Maryland Must Do More in Response to the Pandemic

The Coronavirus has affected every community and county in our state. Some areas have been hit harder than others and the BIPOC community has suffered more cases and fatalities than other parts of the population. Tens of thousands of residents are experiencing devastating health and economic consequences from the virus. Medical experts predict that there's a possibility of a COVID surge as we get into flu season and colder weather with more indoor activities, making this a critical time for Maryland to plan and prepare a coordinated and robust response.

During these past several months, your Administration's COVID response, unfortunately, has not done nearly enough to address all the public health aspects of the pandemic. As a result, Maryland is coming up short on too many fronts--from the conflicting and confusing messages you send on school policy, to your cuts to school funding, to the mishandling of testing and test kits, to the inadequate regulation and protection of nursing homes and work sites. We need more from you and your Administration especially in light of the complete failure of President Trump to develop a successful national strategic response to the coronavirus.   

Governors need to lead at this time. I urge you to adopt a much more comprehensive, equitable, and transparent approach to managing this emergency. As a concerned Marylander, I want to see you commit to the following measures:

• Guarantee that every Marylander who needs health care will be able to get it during the emergency, regardless of status. 

• Devote the resources needed to address and eliminate the racial disparities in our healthcare and education systems.

• Create genuine engagement with impacted communities and the groups representing them,ensuring their input and that prevention and reopening strategies prioritize their safety and concerns.

• Increase and improve the regime for free widespread testing, contact tracing, and housing support for all those who need to isolate or quarantine.

Sincerely,