Dear Supporter Ji,
On Sunday, March 15, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released guidance stating that for the next 8 weeks, all events with more than 50 attendees be postponed or cancelled in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). In addition, President Trump announced in his Monday afternoon press conference that groups of no bigger than 10 are recommended. Officials in several states, including California, New Jersey, and Ohio, have also begun issuing curfews and limiting activities more broadly.
These changes are part of an effort in “social distancing,” an epidemiological term that means taking simple steps to reduce close contact between people. This will hopefully reduce transmission of the virus among communities so that our healthcare system can provide better care. You can read more about social distancing here, and follow these tips to practice it:
Please understand that these and other measures are to protect our sangats: They will allow us to support those who are underserved and vulnerable, as is our responsibility. For additional resources and tips related to keeping sangats safe and gurdwaras clean, please see resources from the North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association and others in English and Punjabi that we circulated last week.
Finally, please note that Congress and the White House are negotiating a COVID-19 relief package. We highly recommend that you follow this news closely, as the legislation may provide you with additional time off in the event you or someone in your family is affected by the virus, and because there will likely be tax relief implications and human resources guidelines for business owners.
Though the Sikh Coalition is not a public health organization, we feel that we must all support each other during this time by sharing resources and best practices in order to support the most vulnerable in our community.
Chardi Kala,
Satjeet Kaur
Executive Director
The Sikh Coalition
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