To VA Dept. Of Health;

I am choosing to join the chorus of concerned parents and citizens of Virginia who are opposed to a Covid-19 mandate for grades K-12.

• Since the pandemic began last year an estimated fewer than 700 kids (in a population of 73M) have died from Covid-19 in the US. This is not an illness that affects children in the vast majority of cases.
• The majority of individuals who are at risk from negative health outcomes from Covid-19 have access to a vaccine. The risk of mortality to Covid-19 is extremely low statically for those who are vaccinated.
• The MMR vaccine (among others kids receive before attending most schools) is not a proper analog to the Covid vaccine. The diseases inoculated against with the MMR are relatively more prevalent and dangerous to children. The MMR vaccine has a much longer track record of usage and is far better understood than this much newer covid vaccine.
• While rare, there has been a demonstrated risk of myocarditis in young people with the covid vaccines. Other countries globally have paused the distribution of the covid vaccine to population groups lower than age 30.

The Covid-19 vaccine mandate is an unnecessary danger to children in that it can potentially expose them to unknown or adverse side effects while inoculating them against an illness that does not pose a statistically likely health risk. Adults who are at risk of contracting Covid-19 from a minor or elsewhere can choose to get vaccinated. Given the above, it would be wrong for VA to attempt a Covid-19 mandate.

Thank You.