WASHINGTON – Tonight, U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) will host three Delawareans working to combat the COVID-19 pandemic as his virtual guests for President Joe Biden's first address to a joint session of Congress.
Dr. Joan Coker, Dr. Sandra Gibney, and Dr. Neil Hockstein have been working on the frontlines to care for, test, and vaccinate Delawareans amid COVID-19. These medical professionals will join Sen. Coons virtually for tonight's address, which marks the president's first 100 days in office.
"Medical professionals across Delaware have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic for more than a year, putting their health and safety on the line to care for others," said Sen. Coons. "I'm honored to host Dr. Coker, Dr. Gibney, and Dr. Hockstein as my virtual guests in recognition of the work that they and so many others have done across our state to ensure equitable access to medical care, testing, and vaccines during this pandemic."
Dr. Joan Coker, a board-certified otolaryngologist, has been working as an advisor with Testing for America to ensure vaccination equity in minority and traditionally underserved communities in Delaware. With nearly 30 years of medical experience, Dr. Coker has been steadfast in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic in Delaware, hosting testing and vaccine sites, and ensuring all Delawareans have the resources and the opportunity to get tested and vaccinated.
Dr. Sandra Gibney is an emergency room physician who has long committed herself to combatting addiction and opioid abuse in Delaware. With the assistance of Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, Dr. Gibney has pivoted to focusing on getting vaccines in the arms of those often overlooked while still working to combat the opioid crisis.
Dr. Neil Hockstein is a board-certified otolaryngologist who serves as the chairman of the New Castle County COVID-19 Task Force, where he helped establish Curative testing sites. Dr. Hockstein is an advisor with Testing for America, where he focuses on safely returning students to school, like Delaware State University, to test students several times a week using in-house resources. He has spearheaded making COVID-19 vaccinations at his practice, ENT & Allergy of Delaware, available to members of marginalized communities.
Individuals seeking to watch tonight's presidential address, slated to start at 9 p.m., can find more information here.
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