Trending
WHEELING -- U.S. Sen. Shelley Capito called Thursday for more support of local small businesses, which will be most affected if customers stay at home amid COVID-19 coronavirus concerns.
Capito, R-W.Va., addressed the issue during a conference call Thursday with reporters from around the state.
She spoke of the "unprecedented economic freefall" taking place Thursday in the American stock market. The Dow Jones lost 10 percent of its value Thursday and dropped more than 2,350 points.
"We've got to help our small businesses," she said. "They are not expected to handle the downturn in business that is occurring. Also, they can't handle missing employees as easy as larger companies."
President Donald Trump has asked Congress for $50 billion to help the Small Business Administration assist those affected by the coronavirus outbreak with loans.
"This is the same mechanism that was used in Charleston when there was the chemical spill and we tried to help our small businesses," Capito said. "He has also asked to defer tax payments, and one of the things the president is very much in favor of is a payroll tax cut.
"He said he is going to continue to take small measures."
Capito called the coronavirus outbreak "an ever-evolving situation," and said the number of those affected likely will be rising in the coming days.
While there have been no confirmed cases in West Virginia, she expects that also will change as the virus continues to spread.
"We're in a containment phase obviously to try and contain the growth," she said. Capito said she has been in constant contact with the Vice President Mike Pence, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
She said she was supportive of the travel restrictions announced by Trump on Wednesday, which included banning U.S. travel to Europe -- except the United Kingdom -- for the next 30 days.
Capito, though, acknowledged she has been frustrated that more testing for coronavirus hasn't been done, and that the testing of the public is moving too slowly.
"The testing protocols have not been clear. It has not been as widespread as people think," she said.
"We are testing in West Virginia now. Our state labs can perform those tests, and we're going to combine those with private labs."
As many rural hospitals in West Virginia struggle and continue to close, Capito was asked whether remaining hospitals will be able to handle an influx of coronavirus patients.
"I know in talking with our hospitals they are preparing for any kind of contingencies," she said. "Maybe you will have some centers for excellence that can handle it. I feel like our health systems have been able to increase capacity and make adjustments where needed."
(King can be contacted at jking@theintelligencer.net)