Letter to the editor: Mitigate to end pandemic

As pediatricians throughout Western Pennsylvania, we care for our region’s youngest patients and witness firsthand the impact of this pandemic on our youth. We know pediatric patients are struggling with the challenges of virtual schooling, mental health, lack of physical activity and other health and wellness components.

We all want to see an end to the pandemic and a successful return to in-person schooling for all students across our region, as well as a return to general wellness for all. Our hope is if we continue our mitigation efforts as a community, we can each do our part to support those goals.

For those reasons, we are asking you to continue to support us, and each other, through ongoing efforts including:

• Wearing a mask every time you leave your home

• Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, vigorously and frequently

• Maintaining physical distance of at least six feet in addition to masking

• Keeping your holiday gatherings limited to those in your household and connecting with others virtually

• Staying home if you are feeling at all unwell and keeping your child home from school

• Contacting your pediatrician’s office to get (you and) your child vaccinated against seasonal flu

Making good choices now may allow us to celebrate the holidays in person next year as well as support a full return to in-person school for our shared students and patients.

Physicians of the Pennsylvania Pediatric Heath Network