Dear Governor Tom Wolf, Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, Pennsylvania General Assembly, Department of Health, and Pennsylvania Department of Education:

We write as a group of concerned parents, family members, and citizens of the school districts in Western Pennsylvania to urge swift action on the part of: the Offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Pennsylvania General Assembly, Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH), and Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). In previous individual correspondences with your office, concerned parents were told to follow the guidance provided by the CDC, American Rescue Plan Act, and the United States Department of Education. Each of these organizations recommend or are quickly developing safety plans that include effective mitigation efforts, most notably face masks. Specifically, the CDC recommends universal masking for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status. Despite these recommendations made by health and scientfic efforts, Western Pennsylvania school systems fail to follow these guidelines. Instead, as the school year approached, many of our school boards determined that they do not possess the authority to require universal masking in schools. These decisions were influenced by solicitors and public pressure that are not based in science.

Who then has such authority? Last year the Governor’s administration protected the people of Pennsylvania, including our children. We call upon the offices of the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, General Assembly, DOH, and PDE to take these same simple mitigation efforts that protect the health and lives of the most vulnerable among us, our children.

The Delta variant comprises 85% of all COVID cases and is now the major variant in the United States. Delta is twice as contagious and contains more than 1000 viral copies compared to the original virus. This variant is surging through unvaccinated communities, and hospitals are again experiencing insurmountable numbers of admissions. Children, a highly vulnerable and unvaccinated population, now comprise 18% of all COVID/Delta cases in Pennsylvania. The pediatric hospitalization rate has increased to 3.5%, which amounts to more than 570 Pennsylvania children who will require hospitalization within the next few weeks. During the week of August 16, the case count among children has increased by 45%, just days before school starts. The pediatric positivity rate increased from about 8% at the time this petition began circulating (August 23, 2021) to 10.8% as of August 30, 2021; the goal is <5%. We have moved into the red/very high risk level of transmission as well. These increases demand immediate attention, as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a systemic inflammatory condition that compromises critical organ functions. MIS-C is a devastating and deadly complication. If children survive MIS-C, they must maintain regular follow-ups to evaluate for compromised heart function. There are at least 140 documented MIS-C cases currently. Particularly relevant to these dismal statistics is that UPMC Children’s Hospital, the only regional hospital that cares for positive COVID pediatric cases, currently has one open pediatric ICU bed. 

Concern regarding unknown long-term comorbidities continue to rise, as recent evidence indicates that adults commonly experience compromised breathing, headaches, and fatigue, among many other health problems following recovery. Additionally, viruses enter latency phases, where symptoms are minimal or absent, however molecular studies show that COVID-infected cells exhibit features similar to aging. Unfortunately, many viruses “awaken” and impose deleterious complications. For example, Hepatitis B is a virus that causes liver damage, liver failure, and even death. Universal infant Hepatitis B vaccination is an exemplar of a public health initiative that dramatically decreased the prevalence of Hepatitis B in the United States. Similarly, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) may cause various cancers later in life, including vaginal, cervical, and throat, and public health vaccination programs for HPV have resulted in a 55% decrease of HPV. The unknown long-term impact of COVID/Delta implores the protection of children by way of transmission prevention. 

Simple public health mitigation effort protects the most vulnerable among us. It is clear that Delta is increasing in our region as the dominant strain among pediatric populations. Given the rising incidence rates among children, severe complications including MIS-C, the unknown long-term impact of this virus, and a questionable pediatric-hospital infrastructure, we stand with professional clinical and scientific organizations that highly recommend masks for all students and staff of K-12 and child care facilities, regardless of vaccination status. We ask the state government of Pennsylvania to do the same.

We have witnessed a rise in COVID cases as schools throughout the country headed back to the classroom this month. Tampa-area schools quarantined and/or isolated 5599 students and 316 employees less than a week after the first day of class. In Mississippi, the State Health Department reported 20334 student quarantines between August 9-13, 2021, with 4521 students testing positive during that time frame. As a result, about 600 schools in Mississippi have implemented universal masking for indoor activities. On Friday, August 20, 2021, Tennessee saw its highest daily total of new COVID19 cases in children (2106 new cases) since the beginning of the pandemic. None of us want headlines such as these for Pennsylvania, but even more so, none of us want to knowingly place our children in a situation that is dangerous for their health. 

Only 60.5% of Pennsylvanians have at least one dose of the COVID19 vaccine. As parents, we are raised our voices; paid legal fees to put our school boards on notice; and rallied to promote change before the 2021-2022 school year began. Little note was taken by our local government. Our votes will surely reflect our outrage toward the carelessness taken by our governing bodies with the lives of our children. We call upon the government of Pennsylvania to do their part, their role in governing, and protect our children – as our school boards refuse to put lives before politics – by ordering K-12 schools and child care facilities to comply with universal masking.

Sincerely,
Concerned Community Members and Parents of Western Pennsylvania