‘Heartbreaking and frustrating’: Wisconsin health care leaders react to state surpassing 150,000 cases

MADISON, Wis. — Health care leaders from across Wisconsin released a joint statement with Joe Biden’s campaign Sunday night as the Badger State surpassed 150,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

The statement called the milestone “heartbreaking” and said many hospitals and intensive care units throughout the state are nearing capacity and running out of personal protective equipment.

“President Trump and the Wisconsin GOP still have no plan for how to get this virus under control,” the statement said. “It didn’t have to be this bad. And as complications from COVID-19 like lung-scarring and heart damage threaten to become the next deniable pre-existing condition, President Trump is in court trying to strip protections from the other 2.4 million Wisconsinites already living with pre-existing conditions, and the GOP-led state legislature has not met since April 15th.”

The statement was signed by nine health care leaders, including State Rep. Debra Kolste and Wisconsin Doctors for Biden Co-Chairs Emily Siegrist, NP, BSN, MSN, and Joanna Bisgrove, MD.

“As health care professionals, we are deeply worried about the trajectory of this pandemic, the misleading messages coming from the White House, and the inaction from many of our elected state leaders. Wisconsin needs a President who will follow the science and contain this virus, and a legislature that shares his vision and will protect our state. Joe Biden will be the leader we need. Biden has a comprehensive plan to beat this pandemic, ensure that health care is a right, not a privilege for families in the Badger State, and help Wisconsin’s economy recover.”

News 3 Now has reached out to President Trump’s campaign for a statement, but they have not commented on Wisconsin’s 150,000 case mark.

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