On Monday, U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., announced he will donate his Senate salary for the first quarter of 2020 to the University of South Florida (USF) Health’s Pandemic Research and Response Fund to help create 3-D equipment to use during the coronavirus.
“Our nation is facing an unprecedented crisis. We, as Americans, have to come together to innovatively adapt and solve problems, and that’s exactly what USF Health is doing,” Scott said on Monday.
“Their work to quickly develop coronavirus testing supplies with 3-D printing technology will help us ramp up testing efforts nationwide and curb the spread of the coronavirus now,” Scott added. “I’m grateful to USF Health and all the incredible businesses, individuals and organizations across our state and nation doing their part to end the coronavirus, and I encourage every American to follow their lead. Together, we can beat this.”
Dr. Charles Lockwood, USF Health’s senior vice president and the dean of the Morsani College of Medicine, weighed in on the donation.
“Senator Scott’s generosity is especially welcome at this critical time,” Lockwood said. “His gift will have an immediate impact on our fight against COVID-19 as we work to generate more COVID-19 testing kits, conduct research on alternative treatments, and care for patients in our region.”
Scott was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018 after serving two terms as governor of Florida.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
