COVID-19 Coronavirus: Sassoli (EU Parliament), thoughts to the victims, best wishes to the sick, closeness to families, gratitude to workers

“Our thoughts go to the victims of the coronavirus, to their families, and to their loved ones. And to the sick, we wish a speedy recovery”. The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, said this as he opened the plenary session of the European Parliament, convened to debate the health emergency and to vote on urgent COVID-19 response measures. “Right now, our healthcare workers are in the front line in the fight against this virus. They deserve our full support, admiration and gratitude for the work they are doing and for the generosity that marks them out, often working in very dramatic circumstances. And our thoughts also go to all volunteers and people who are supporting those in need. I said it before and I repeat it, the humanity of our citizens is our greatest wealth”. Then Sassoli commended the efforts of all workers providing essential services: those working in supermarkets, post offices, telecommunications, and agriculture. “And we should not forget all those citizens who make the difference with simple gestures: respecting the preventive measures, doing the shopping for an elderly neighbour, calling friends who are isolated, taking care of the most vulnerable people. These are small gestures of solidarity, as our Parliament has wished to do as well, by opening up its kitchens to prepare up to a thousand meals a day for the homeless and for volunteers. Our premises in Brussels will be housing a hundred vulnerable women. And in Strasbourg and Luxembourg, too, we have made our premises available to the authorities for activities linked to the emergency”.
Valentina Bombelli