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Letter: Keep schools closed to help control the coronavirus

| July 29, 2020 11:19 PM

As parents and grandparents, we are concerned about opening schools during this pandemic. Five of our six grandchildren are school age, and one son and two daughters-in-law work in public schools. We don’t want any of them, fellow pupils or teachers and support staff to get the virus or be exposed to it.

On Friday, July 24, Spokane County had 3,190 cases, 124 on Friday alone, and 45 dead. Grant County had 33 cases, totaling 1,078, and nine dead. Cases are surging and deaths slowly rising where our grandchildren and their parents live.

Regardless of announced safety protocols, we know that the numbers will increase. Since November 2019, we’ve had mixed messages and lack of clarity or consistency from the government, states, and counties. Trump told the states they were on their own. People around the world are stunned at our mishandlings of the virus.

Americans can control the virus, but refuse to. This is a local, state, and nationwide problem: Many people do not follow health protocols to protect themselves and others from the virus.

Tomorrow the numbers rise again, and the day after and the day after — until Americans decide, in the interests of our children’s lives, to control the virus. We can rebuild a business; we cannot give someone a life back.

Is the death of your son or daughter an acceptable risk for opening schools?

Time moves on as you decide. Tick tock. Tick tock.

Duane and Jonnie Pitts

Moses Lake