A Letter to the Editor was sent addressing the "It's Possible to Stop Superspreader Events" article; published on April 22, 2022 in the New York Times (NYT).

        

       

TO THE EDITOR:

 

While many Americans “turn on the tap with confidence that drinking water will not give us cholera or another illness,” there exist prominent, even recent examples (e.g. Flint, MI), where that is not the case for everyone in this country.

 

Since the early stages of the pandemic, the Sound Alliance “Clean Air for Kids Campaign” has been organizing to press school districts, public health officials, and local jurisdictions to fund technical solutions that identify and address the airborne transmission of viruses in south Seattle/King County schools.  School districts in this geographic area serve our county’s lowest income, most racially diverse families.  An inherently biased taxation system has led to a high proportion of substandard, aging infrastructure in these neighborhoods.  To date, our efforts are producing slow, incremental improvements.

 

Milton, Nardell, and Michaels present GUV as a cost-effective, readily available solution that solves a clearly documented problem.  However, until we also address disparities in how public-school infrastructure is funded, I am fairly certain this technology will once again be implemented disproportionately in our wealthier schools and districts.

 

Sandra L. Hunt, PhD

President

Highline Education Association

Burien, Washington

 

Contact Information:

6723 35th Place S

Seattle, WA 98118

206-604-6738