John Cornyn: “the coronavirus has challenged our country--indeed, the entire planet--like few crises before, certainly in my lifetime.…”

“the coronavirus has challenged our country--indeed, the entire planet--like few crises before, certainly in my lifetime. I was part of the post World War II generation. No doubt, world war presented the preeminent crisis within memory. It was, I think, 1917 and 1918 when the Great Influenza hit the planet and tens of millions of people died in that. When this virus began spreading, it became clear it would place a severe strain on our hospitals and healthcare providers. As businesses closed their doors and employees lost their jobs, it was obvious it would take a toll on the incredible economy we had in this country. It is like it fell off a cliff. The combination of new stresses brought on by this virus have led to a range of lesser-known but no less severe consequences. Earlier this week, I spoke about the impact the coronavirus is having on our country's mental health. As our lives have been flipped upside down, many Americans are facing financial struggles, isolation, and anxiety. For those who have children at home, the challenges are compounded even further. A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation disclosed that nearly half of Americans polled reported that the coronavirus was having a negative impact on their mental health. That is up from one- third in March, and it is not surprising. When we talk about the resources that we need to overcome this crisis, the relationship between the coronavirus and America's mental health cannot be ignored.…”