Empire State Today

J. Ryan McMahon II, county executive, Onondaga County, New York, at the request of U.S. Rep. John Katko (NY-24), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, will be discussing the effects of the pandemic on mental health at a hearing on  Wednesday.

“Confronting the Coronavirus: Perspectives on the COVID-19 Pandemic One Year Later,” will be a virtual hearing that will review the past year concerning the health impact brought about by the coronavirus crisis.

“I invited Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon to testify before @HomelandGOP tomorrow for a hearing on the pandemic,” Katko announced on Twitter. “I’m looking forward to having his voice heard in Congress as we continue our work to distribute vaccines and move CNY and our nation past this pandemic.”

Apart from Katko, a minority witness and three more, McMahon will also be able to provide insights on how the pandemic is perceived, both from a point of view by a government official dealing with coronavirus, and someone who has suffered from pandemic stress. He told syracuse.com that his recent health problems with double vision are possibly caused by pandemic stress.

"I’m coming to the conclusion more that it is pandemic-related,” McMahon said. “When we see what this pandemic has done to the public and the community … the human side of things … It’s tough to tune out. To turn it off. To be honest with you, I can’t turn it off.”

The House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee Republicans hearing can be monitored live from its website and YouTube channel.