In a press conference Thursday afternoon, Governor Hutchinson of Arkansasannounced additional financial support for healthcare workers in long-term care/in-home facilities and rural hospitals, due to their vulnerability during the coronavirus pandemic.One initiative involves paying non-physician direct care workers working with long-term care patients—which includes nurses in nursing homes— will be receiving an additional $1,000 per month. If those workers are in a facility treating COVID-19 patients, they will receive an additional $2,000 per month.The initiatives also give support to rural hospitals, independent physician practices, and other Medicaid providers that are struggling as a result of the rapidly increasing COVID-19 public health emergency.

As of March 29th Oklahoma has 481 positive cases and 17 deaths reported.

Our front line health care workers are already running out of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 masks, surgical masks, gloves, and gowns. We also need access to hoods, face shields, goggles, and other protective equipment. There is a critical shortage of COVID-19 test kits, ventilators, hand sanitizer, and medications that might treat COVID-19 patients.

This is unacceptably dangerous for health care workers and, in turn, the public.

Our Oklahoma healthcare workers need and deserve an initiative like Governor Hutchinson put into place for his state as they are putting themselves, their family, and community at risk.

Our hospitals and healthcare facilities are already feeling the effects form COVID-19. Our hospitals and healthcare workers are running out of PPE and are working back to back shifts as COVID-19 is filling up our Oklahoma facilities! 

Help keep our Oklahoma Healthcare workers in Oklahoma! They are valued and are essential in this fight against COVID-19!

Lets push the pressure back on the officials, let’s show them we matter, let’s see how much they DO care! 

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