Court Ruling is Bad News for Public Health

Communities of Color, and the Immunocompromised Remain at Risk

The temporary injunction on the rules from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education requiring masks, quarantining for those exposed to COVID, and vaccinations and testing is highly problematic. 

Common sense and science have clarified that a layered approach to mitigation is necessary. As has been the case, hospitalizations and deaths caused by COVID-19 have disproportionately impacted Latinx and Black families. Any blocks to scientifically-informed safety mitigations will have immense consequences to our communities, including those who are ineligible for vaccinations, such as children under five years of age and the immunocompromised. 

Dr. Marina del Rios, co-chair of Illinois Unidos’ Health & Policy Committee and Emergency Medicine Physician shared, “We stand with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control endorsing a layered mitigation approach that includes universal masking, isolation of COVID positive cases, contact tracing, and vaccination in schools. A layered mitigation approach offers the best opportunity to keep all children healthy and schools open”.

Governor Pritzker’s pledge to work with the Attorney General’s office to appeal the decision is encouraging. However, we encourage Illinoisans to call on their school districts to continue practicing COVID19 safety mitigations. Illinoisans are also encouraged to contact Governor Pritzker and state legislators to express their support for keeping families safe and express their concerns about the ruling.  

Who to call:

• Governor Pritzker: 217-782-6830 or 217-782-6831
• State senator and state representative
• Your Board of Education members and district superintendent

What to say:

Covid mitigation measures are crucial to keeping our schools safe, open, and accessible, especially for students and their family members who cannot be vaccinated or for whom vaccines alone are not sufficient to protect their health. Please do whatever you can at the {state/district} level to ensure that CDC guidelines for K-12 schools are in place. Most people support mask mandates during times like now of high community transmission of covid.