Missouri Democratic Party on US COVID-19-Related Deaths Surpassing 100,000

Kansas City, MO (May 27, 2020) – As news broke that the United States has surpassed 100,000 COVID-related deaths, Missouri Democratic Party Chair Jean Peters Baker issued the following statement:

“We are devastated to learn that more than 100,000 Americans have died as a result of the COVID pandemic, and we extend our most profound sympathies to those who have lost a loved one to this virus. That so many of these deaths could have been prevented by a proactive, science-based approach on the part of President Trump compounds the tragedy of losing so many lives in such a short time. Had the President heeded advice from experts in the fields of health and science, and had there been large-scale social distancing measures in place just a week earlier, it is believed 36,000 lives could have been spared. The president was made aware of the virus back in January – it’s impossible to know where we’d be today had he acted with more urgency and proactive leadership.

The coronavirus has infected and killed a disproportionate percentage of the Black community, the consequence of decades of inequalities coming to fruition. Black Missourians are dying from COVID-19 at a rate that is six times higher than white Missourians. Lack of affordable healthcare has helped worsen the spread and deadliness of the disease in Black communities, and we must work to rectify those inequalities, by expanding access to healthcare, not dismantling protections for those with pre-existing conditions through the ACA as Trump and his Republican colleagues continue to do during this pandemic. This November, we must elect leaders who will fight inequality, not exacerbate it.”

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Background: U.S. Could Have Saved 100,000 Lives If Social Distancing Started 1 Week Earlier: Study