Letter to Sylvia Burwell, Secretary of the HHS - Bennet Urges HHS to Take Steps to Protect Olympic Athletes, Tourists from Zika

Letter

Dear Secretary Burwell:

With the advent of the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil, I write to inquire about the measures that the Department of Health and Human Services is undertaking to work with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) to ensure that the over 500 U.S. Olympians and thousands of American tourists are protected against the spread of Zika.

With less than 100 days until the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has confirmed nearly 100,000 cases of Zika and close to 5,000 cases of confirmed or suspected microcephaly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now confirmed the link between Zika virus and microcephaly. It has also associated the virus with neurological disorders such as Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

As the CDC continues to lead the Zika virus response efforts, the CDC Division of Vector-Borne Diseases and Colorado State University's Biosecurity Level 3 Vaccine Manufacturing Facility-both located in Fort Collins, Colorado-are at the forefront of combating the disease. The research and collaboration with government, academia, and the private sector will make it possible to fight this devastating virus and prevent its further spread.

Last week, I joined a bipartisan majority in the Senate to provide $1.1 billion in funding to help combat the Zika outbreak. We will continue to fight for the full $1.9 billion that the Administration requested to protect Colorado and American families, particularly children and pregnant women, from the virus.

While the research continues to advance, we must ensure there are immediate efforts being taken to work with the USOC and protect those participating in the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to working with you on this issue.

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