2.17 20-0712 Subject: Suspending Sanctions Against Cuba To Address The Covid 19
From: President Pro Tempore Kalb
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Supporting Medical And Scientific Collaboration Between The City Of Oakland And The Country Of Cuba To Address The Covid-19 Pandemic And Urging The United States Congress To Remove Restrictions On Collaboration By Suspending Economic And Travel Sanctions Against Cuba
I urge you to approve this resolution (agenda item 2.17 - Resolution Supporting Medical And Scientific Collaboration Between The City Of Oakland).
We are in the midst of a PANDEMIC. By its very definition a cooperative GLOBAL solution is required.
Sadly, since the resolution was drafted a short time ago - in the US alone - 1.5 million more people have contracted COVID (8.5 from 7 million) and 25,000 more people (more than 225,000 total) have died from this deadly disease. Cuba, a country of 11 million people, has 127 COVID deaths. It is criminal that the US government is not only preventing people in this country from access to Cuban medications and treatment protocol, but interfering in Cuba's collaboration with other countries. Cuba has sent thousands of medical personnel on brigades throughout the world, including COVID hotspots like Lombardy, Italy. Yet, not a single person on the brigade has died of COVID.
I'm writing in support of Resolution 2.17 for medical and scientific collaboration between Oakland and Cuba. The U.S. blockade of Cuba has denied medicines to patients in the U.S. which are available elsewhere in the world. It's long past time to end the blockade entirely, but in this critical time of the COVID pandemic, it is unconscionable that the U.S. government is preventing patients from having access to medication that could save their lives. I urge you to approve Resolution 2.17 as a step to address this madness.
I urge you to approve this resolution (agenda item 2.17 - Resolution Supporting Medical And Scientific Collaboration Between The City Of Oakland).
We are in the midst of a PANDEMIC. By its very definition a cooperative GLOBAL solution is required.
Sadly, since the resolution was drafted a short time ago - in the US alone - 1.5 million more people have contracted COVID (8.5 from 7 million) and 25,000 more people (more than 225,000 total) have died from this deadly disease. Cuba, a country of 11 million people, has 127 COVID deaths. It is criminal that the US government is not only preventing people in this country from access to Cuban medications and treatment protocol, but interfering in Cuba's collaboration with other countries. Cuba has sent thousands of medical personnel on brigades throughout the world, including COVID hotspots like Lombardy, Italy. Yet, not a single person on the brigade has died of COVID.
We have so much to learn from Cuba.
I'm writing in support of Resolution 2.17 for medical and scientific collaboration between Oakland and Cuba. The U.S. blockade of Cuba has denied medicines to patients in the U.S. which are available elsewhere in the world. It's long past time to end the blockade entirely, but in this critical time of the COVID pandemic, it is unconscionable that the U.S. government is preventing patients from having access to medication that could save their lives. I urge you to approve Resolution 2.17 as a step to address this madness.