Estamos juntos en esto, ¡por favor, máscaras arriba!

Sen. Hughes and Sheryl Lee Ralph-Hughes want you to help protect public health

I hope you and your loved ones had a great holiday, whether you celebrated Christmas, Hanukkah, are in the process of celebrating Kwanzaa. As we approach the New Year and a fresh start in 2021, Sheryl and I would like to encourage everyone to mask up out of love. Holidays are typically for gathering, however this year is unlike any other in our lifetime.

COVID-19 cases continue to spike, and different strains of the virus may make the pandemic response more difficult for hospitals and front-line public health workers to treat those who are sick. Wearing a mask, washing your hands, practicing physical distancing and following public health guidelines are still the best way to help slow the spread of the virus.

We are still several months away from having a vaccine that would be available to the general public, so continuing to follow safe behaviors is a must. In case you missed it, I spoke with several area public health experts last week. You can replay that conversation below:

Please seek out trusted messengers, such as my telephone town hall guests, and official sources including the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, the Montgomery County Office of Public Health, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Remember: We are still in the middle of a pandemic. Public health and safety remains our top priority. Wear your mask, practice social distancing and follow public health officials’ recommendations to stay safe and help us overcome the coronavirus COVID-19.