March 18, 2020

Manchin: We Must Keep Fairmont Regional Open During Coronavirus Outbreak

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) today released the following statement on efforts to keep Fairmont Regional Medical Center (FRMC) open during the coronavirus outbreak.

“I am imploring our state government and medical officials to keep medical centers like FRMC open during the outbreak. These facilities are going to be essential to helping provide the necessary healthcare to everyone affected by this deadly virus. West Virginia has the most at risk population in the country - an older population, a population that has done heavy lifting and jobs that have resulted in respiratory concerns and ailments. This pandemic will take a horrific toll on the population of West Virginia if we're not careful with what we do. But also it can change the course of how we do business and how we take care of others in America. The American people are the most generous, caring, compassionate people and West Virginians treat everybody as their neighbor. We must take care of our neighbors. We must reach out and take care of those in need, and right now we have a situation where we may not have enough capacity in our medical facilities to care for people when they become sick. We must keep FRMC and other medical facilities open and I will do everything possible to make that happen,” said Senator Manchin.

Senator Manchin also spoke on the Senate Floor on supporting Americans at risk during the coronavirus outbreak. To watch Senator Manchin’s speech please click here.

Senator Manchin launched an information resources page where West Virginians can learn more about the coronavirus outbreak and how to protect themselves and their families. To learn more please click here.

To receive daily updates from Senator Manchin on the coronavirus outbreak, please click here.