The American Diabetes Association® applauds last week’s ruling by Florida’s Second Circuit Court striking down Florida Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order banning local school boards from implementing mask mandates. The decision held that school districts can adopt health care policies over parental disagreements. The Judge referenced two Florida Supreme Court decisions supporting limiting individual rights when impacting the rights of others. The Judge further stated that the governor’s and state agencies’ actions in banning mask mandates don’t pass “Constitutional muster.”
Attending school in-person is best for the physical, mental, and emotional health of all students. However, the decision to return to the brick-and-mortar school environment can be distressing for some families, including those who have children with diabetes. A combination of layered COVID-19 prevention strategies which include mask use is required to keep our children with diabetes and others with chronic conditions, safe at school.
“The Delta variant has proven to be more infectious and virulent and is the predominant variant in Florida. The state has seen a dramatic rise in the cases of COVID-19, even among children with Florida leading the nation in the rate of children hospitalized with the virus,” said Henry Rodriguez, MD, Co-Chair of the ADA’s Safe at School Working Group. “The ADA supports the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society who recommend universal mask use by students, teachers, and staff, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, to prevent transmission of COVID-19.”
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About the American Diabetes Association
Every day more than 4,000 people are newly diagnosed with diabetes in America. More than 122 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes and are striving to manage their lives while living with the disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 81 years the ADA has been driving discovery and research to treat, manage and prevent diabetes, while working relentlessly for a cure. We help people with diabetes thrive by fighting for their rights and developing programs, advocacy and education designed to improve their quality of life. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
