Hidalgo County has seen a dramatic increase in hospitalizations in the last month with local hospitals diverting patients due to no bed availability. We know that the Delta variant has a much higher viral load and is way more transmissible than the wild strain. We also know that fully vaccinated adults can still contract and transmit Covid. Because children under the age of 12 can not yet be vaccinated, they have now become the vulnerable population. Without a mask mandate adults may very well contract Covid, infect children and we may soon find ourselves without enough beds, personnel or medical equipment to treat these children in our community. School districts across the country & across the state are defying Governor orders and are putting the interest of children above all else. Why won’t McAllen follow suit? Our children sacrificed last year in order to protect us adults. It is now our turn to do absolutely everything within our reach to protect our children. Sending kids to school amongst the unmasked who could possibly infect them with Covid-19, leading to death or life long medical issues is child endangerment.