Friends,

I'll never forget the chaos and panic at the start of the pandemic in the middle of March.

Four out of my first five patients had COVID-like symptoms, but we only had five COVID-19 tests for our entire network of 23,000 patients. There was a nationwide shortage of tests, PPE, and medical equipment.

I'm a registered nurse and nurse practitioner. I'm a frontline worker. Like my mom, I became a nurse due to my love for serving people, especially our most vulnerable.

I was on the frontlines of the pandemic when the crisis unfolded. I saw President Trump downplay the pandemic, and as a result, our nation remained less and less prepared for the casualties that would follow.

I worry about my patients while Trump worries about his poll numbers. I volunteered in nursing homes, while Trump silenced scientists. In Trump's administration, politics trumps science. We can't have this any longer.

To overcome this pandemic, we need leadership that puts health and safety above politics. The Biden-Harris administration will get our nation back on track and help ease the pain and suffering Americans are still facing.

Friends, will you join me in taking action and volunteering virtually, from the comfort of your home, to help elect Joe Biden as our next President?

I'm voting for Joe Biden because he has a plan to combat the coronavirus and protect all of our communities. The stakes couldn't be higher for essential workers, like me, and millions of families across the country.

We need a leader who is going to put country over ego. We need a leader who has empathy. We need a leader who will fight for ALL Americans -- and that leader is Joe Biden.

I've been phone banking and dropping literature whenever I can. I even ask my patients what their voting plan is! Every call, every text message, and every single vote is essential.

Thank you for reading my story,

Tarik S. Khan