Sandy Springs, GA — Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Marietta) convened a community Telephone Town Hall on the Coronavirus pandemic this evening with nearly five thousand participants from across Georgia’s Sixth District. McBath provided updates about her work in the U.S. House of Representatives to fight this pandemic, keep families healthy, support American workers, and help local businesses stay resilient. 

“Tonight’s call was an important time for us to talk about the alarming health crisis across our country and around the world. I’m so grateful to our guests for their expertise about the local response in Georgia and to the thousands of participants who called in to hear our updates and ask questions, ” said McBath. “We are proud to serve you. Know that we are working on your behalf to keep our communities healthy and prepared.”

Health experts Dr. Elizabeth Ford, District Health Director for DeKalb and Fulton Counties, Dr. Ben Lopman, Vaccine Researcher and Professor of Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, and Dr. Rob Schreiner, President of the Wellstar Medical Group and Executive Vice President of the WellStar Health System provided information about the local and state response to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis and the perspective of health care providers and administrators.

An audio recording of the event is available online. Those who were unable to attend are encouraged to visit Representative McBath’s coronavirus resources webpage or sign up for her newsletter to receive updates about the ongoing pandemic, as well as future events.

In Washington last week, Rep. McBath voted to pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, a bipartisan bill focused on providing support for American families during this public health crisis. The legislation includes:

  • Free coronavirus testing for everyone who needs a test
  • Paid emergency family and medical leave 
  • Enhanced Unemployment Insurance to protect furloughed workers
  • Strengthened food security initiatives for students, seniors, and food banks  
  • Increased federal funds for Medicaidas states face higher costs

The House passage of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act follows the $8.3 billion emergency funding that was approved and signed by the President earlier this month. That funding is being used for prevention and preparedness, emergency response, treatment, and vaccine development.