The Missouri Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics is responding to Attorney General Eric Schmitt suing to block mask mandates in Missouri’s K-12 public schools. Schmitt, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, says a mask mandate “flies in the face of science, especially given children’s low risk of severe illness and death and their low risk of transmission.” Doctor Kristin Sohl, who serves as president, much has changed with the virus compared to a year ago.

Schmitt says more than 50 school districts have initiated masking rules. His “reverse class action lawsuit” does not request an immediate injunction to block mandates from being used while the case plays out in court.