THREAD: Novel #coronavirus has become a public health crisis that demands clarity and global cooperation. These moments of uncertainty contain both opportunity and danger for all of us. Here's some suggested public messaging that @nacarty and I put together for progressives:

Most of us do what we can to keep ourselves + our loved ones safe + healthy. Now, as the novel coronavirus spreads across the globe, we are worried about our families. We are scared, but the only way to fight this virus is to come together as a united global community.

This virus is revealing to us the interconnectedness of our world in a very personal way. It is showing, conclusively, that the health and well being of one is intimately bound to the health and well being of all. This virus has given us an opportunity to rise to the occasion.

We can take action to protect our loved ones + the most vulnerable who will be hit hardest: those whose health is already compromised, those who are denied access to medical care, those who bear great risk in asking for help + those on the frontlines of poverty + pollution.

It is our responsibility to come together protect the lives of those around us by limiting the spread of this disease as much as possible. Yet, there will be those who will try to seize such a crisis to further entrench their own interests.

They will divide us against each other based on where we come from, what we have + based on our perceived health and worthiness. They will harness panic to crack down on borders, scapegoat Asian Americans, grant huge tax breaks to corporations, limit our rights to vote + dissent.

They will not keep us healthy and they want us to operate from a place of fear. But, our fates are tied. Only by working together will we defeat this outbreak.

We are greater than fear.

Now is the time for action.

As individuals, we can wash your hands and check in on our neighbors. As a collective, we can demand our government do everything it possibly can to protect our public health, such as:
- provide paid sick leave for people to stay home with their families

- compensate those who must be quarantined
- guarantee quality health care and a warm bed for all
- protect the rights of workers who care for the ill in our homes and our hospitals
- ensure a vaccine, when available, is free and readily accessible to everyone

This moment is scary + seem daunting, but we’ve been here before like when @actupny + LGBTQ activists united to confront the HIV/AIDS crisis in spite of corrupt CEOs + irresponsible politicians. We are all better off when each + every one of us is treated with dignity + respect.

The things that will help us fight this virus are good for us long term + will model the cooperation we need to address other challenges like climate change. Now is the time for us to unite across our differences + to protect one another in pursuit of a better brighter tomorrow.

*See our full progressive messaging guidance here: https://medium.com/@anthonytorres_91296/how-progressives-should-talk-about-covid-19-8eaeea9fcda5 @nacarty