September 3rd 2020 is the last time Orange County Commissioner of Health, Dr Irina Gelman has even pretended to care about OUR concerns for our families and children.  

On this distant date, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus hosted a Q&A forum hosting Dr. Gelman.  This was planned by Steve in a effort to give US a platform to hear from Dr Gelman; to allow for her to provide an update, share insight, projection and answers questions.

Since then, outside of her non-science based ‘holiday pause’ guidance urging blanket school closures, she has been ‘radio silent’. In this ‘guidance’. Dr Gelman claimed to “share a common goal of keeping schools open for in-person instruction as long as it is possible to do so safely.” In this same blip, she asserted that, “many have asked why schools should close since the in-school transmission rate is low.” She continued, “It is important to remember that schools are located in communities.”  Brilliant!  She continued on with her wholly hypothetical position in stating,  “Just because the transmission of COVID-19 does not happen as much in school, doesn’t mean that transmission that continues outside of school won’t impact the continuity of school operations, as outlined above. The isolation and quarantine of students, faculty, and staff also affect their families. This is why community-acquired transmission rate is more relevant than the school transmission rate in predicting the impact of COVID-19 on a school community. This is especially true as households are comprised of student of varying ages, attending different schools. This is true also of the households of the faculty and staff.”  WHAT?  How’s that for scientific evidence?  Science doesn’t support closing schools, in fact, it supports OPENING ALL SCHOOLS IMMEDIATELY.  Back in September, the American Academy of Pediatrics STRONGLY urged against closing schools and cited a plethora of actual data to support the tangible detriments school closures are posing to children.  Additionally l, right around this time, the CDC and Dr Fauci were strongly urging 100% in school learning.   Instead, Dr Gelman guided our schools into blanket closure with her long-winded, fear-driven, pseudoscientific personal emotion. It is reprehensible and has gone on for far to long.  When should we expect the next whimsical guidance for closure to hit our emails? 

It is clear that Dr Gelman does not share a common goal.  Moreover, given her 5 months  of silence, it is abundantly clear that Dr. Gelman has forgotten who she works for.  The worst public health crisis in a century she reminds us in that same letter — where is she — silent!!  

Mr Neuhaus, we need REAL guidance and we need it now.  The time for fear mongering and pretending our children’s education is not essential is long over.  We need to restore confidence and tenacity to this critical position.  We have been patient and we have done our part.  Dr Gelman has not done hers.  We need rapid progress; we need a voice of confidence; we need a voice of reason; we need a Commissioner who is capable of considering the needs of the WHOLE child; we desperately need an advocate for our children.   We respectfully request the immediate vetting for a Commissioner of Health who is poised to deliver these critical needs.