As I'm sure you all know, covid cases have been increasing exponentially over the last several months and it has significantly impacted the safety and mental health of those within the central valley. When the school year started, plans were implemented to keep students safe but hundreds of students at Fresno State have tested positive already this year and the majority of the school doesn't feel safe being on campus in person. 

     The most notable reason for that is the lack of access to healthcare due to the overwhelming number of covid cases. Hospitals in the central valley are over capacity and at any given time open ICU beds are scarce, if not impossible to find. This impacts more than just covid patients. It impacts everyone with a medical emergency from heart attacks to car accidents. Dozens and dozens of students have expressed their concerns to the university but our voices aren't being heard. 

     We need your help to ensure that Fresno State takes action to reduce the spread of Covid-19. The first priority of any university should be to protect the safety of their students. This includes both the physical and emotional health of the students that attend and their families. It isn't ethical to force students to have to choose between the health of their community and their education. So please, we are begging you to sign this petition for the sake of the entire central valley.