Stephanie Murphy seeking input from health care workers on coronavirus response

Winter Park’s Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy is asking health care workers in her district to join her in a couple of teleconferences to discuss coronavirus, preparing for a more public town hall teleconference set for next Monday.

“This unprecedented health and economic disruption will affect so many aspects of our community in different ways, so I want to listen to the people I represent to see what I can do to help them weather this crisis,” Murphy stated in a news release. “I’m especially interested in hearing from our brave local health care workers who are on the front lines of our response to this pandemic, and they have earned our full support and gratitude.”

Murphy is in self-quarantine, teleworking from home, because of her exposure to two colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives who have COVID-19, Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Miami and Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams of Utah.

Monday morning she asked off-the-clock health care workers in Florida’s 7th Congressional District to join her for talking about the coronavirus pandemic and any policy recommendations they wish to discuss. The first is set for 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, the second for 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

That will be followed by a pubic, teleconference town hall set for Monday at 7:15 p.m.

CD 7 covers all of Seminole County and much of northern and central Orange County, including the central campuses of Orlando’s two major hospital companies, AdventHealth and Orlando Health.

“If you are a health care worker in Florida’s Seventh Congressional District, which includes all of Seminole County and most of northern Orange County, I hope you can take part in these events. You may join by registering at murphy.house.gov/coronavirus,” Murphy appealed in an advisory sent out by her office. “Advanced registration is required.”

She stated in a news release that she also is hosting conference calls with local elected leaders, small businesses and nonprofits, as well as calls with members of her youth, labor, and faith leaders advisory boards to listen to how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting their communities.