Tell these billionaires: it's time to pay for Coronavirus testing for all
Every health official has said it. Getting as many people tested as possible, as soon as possible, is going to be crucial to our ability to protect the most vulnerable people in our communities from Coronavirus. The problem? The federal government has failed to provide the resources necessary to ensure testing on a mass scale. Meanwhile, billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, each have the means to pay for testing for the entire country several times over, even if they chose not to combine their resources. So many Americans in this moment are scared to go to the hospital for testing that could require years to pay off. This barrier could be removed if they knew they didn’t have to worry about the cost of testing being covered. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Facebook, whose success has relied on major tax breaks, subsidies and city infrastructure paid for by taxpayer dollars, owe a debt to society. That’s why we’re calling on Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg to step up and commit to paying for mass Coronavirus testing for all, today.
Here is the Petition:
In a moment like the one we're facing, time is of the essence. With a combined net worth of over $287 billion dollars, each of you have both the means and the responsibility to provide free Coronavirus testing for all as soon as possible. Coronvirus is impacting the entire world, but it’s having an even greater impact on our most vulnerable communities. Black families, low-income families, the elderly, and those who are disabled or ill have the most potential to be impacted by Coronavirus. They also have limited resources to avoid getting sick. Free testing would make it more possible for them to make important, potentially life-saving decisions for themselves, their families, and their wider communities. As people whose success depended on taxpayer dollars, you owe a debt to society. It's time to step up now and offer to provide free testing for all today.