To the editor:

It’s getting down to the wire. We’re less than a week out from one of the most important elections of our lifetimes. Yes, many of us have heard that expression before.

Well, this election is critical. More than 222,000 people have died in our country from the COVID-19 pandemic. Just last week, the U.S. hit the highest number of daily COVID-19 cases since the pandemic struck. And this week, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows stated on nation- al television, “We’re not going to control the pandemic.”

If you ever needed a better reason to vote in this election, you just got it. Here are 10 reasons to cast your ballot for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Together they will:

1. Beat COVID-19 and provide clear, consistent, evidence-based national guidance for how communities should navigate the pandemic.

2. Deliver immediate relief to working families and communicate a coherent plan to reopen our schools and businesses safely.

3. Listen to science and ensure public health decisions are informed by public health professionals.

4. Execute a plan for the effective, equitable distribution of treatments and vaccines.

5. Re-engage the global health community and restore our relationship with the World Health Organization which is essential to coordinate a global response during a pandemic.

6. Build on the Affordable Care Act by giving Americans more choice, reducing health care costs and making our health care system less complex to navigate.

7. Protect older Americans and those at high risk.

8. Ensure veterans have world-class health care and support military families.

9. Work with Republicans, Democrats and others to get things done. Joe and Kamala are respected and have the leadership skills to unite America.

10. Ensure everyone matters. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are compassionate, empathetic and inclusive.

-Eileen Cassidy Rivera, former member, Alexandria School Board