Front-Line Public Health, Safety Workers Call for End to Trump Admin’s ‘Incompetence’ in Coronavirus Epidemic

WASHINGTON — AFSCME, the nation’s largest union of front-line community workers – including nurses, EMS workers, corrections officers and school employees – issued the following statement today regarding the coronavirus epidemic:

“The Trump Administration’s incompetence in handling the coronavirus public health emergency must end. Shrugging off its responsibility to accurately report the number of cases in the United States, slow-walking the ability of people to get tested and the president’s own dangerous disinformation about the virus itself is making it harder for us to do our jobs in combating this deadly outbreak.

“We appreciate the additional resources Congress approved to fight the virus and will work with state and local governments to ensure they are efficiently and effectively applied. But scientific, accurate and clear information is vital to protecting public health and maintaining the public trust.”