MNAAP President Sheldon Berkowitz, MD, FAAP, representing MNAAP members, signed on to a joint letter from MNAAP and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) addressed to all of the state’s school superintendents and school board members.
The letter, which was sent out on Monday, urged school leaders to make sure all schools follow the updated, current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for COVID-19 prevention in pre-K-12 schools.
“We must take this pandemic seriously and prioritize our children’s health and education. We need to ensure that all of Minnesota’s children have access to safer, in-person education,” Dr. Berkowitz wrote, along with MDH Commissioner Jan Malcolm. The letter also outlined the multi-layered mitigation strategies recommended by the CDC and MDH, and was accompanied by an FAQ document to address common questions or concerns.
Dr. Berkowitz joined Commissioner Malcolm for the MDH COVID-19 briefing call on Tuesday to discuss the letter. You can listen to the full call through this MPR News YouTube video. The letter made headlines, with stories running in the Pioneer Press, KSTP, Lakeland PBS, US News and the St. Cloud Times.
Consider following up with school district officials and school leaders in your area. Ask if they received the letter (you can download it from the MNAAP website to attach to an email, or print to send a paper copy), and offer your support of these mitigation strategies as a medical expert and a proponent of child health and safety.
