Peter Hotez
A media personality known as a fervent advocate for shutting down in-person schooling during the COVID era.
Peter Hotez also strongly believes that mask mandates in schools have an effect on limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Many thanks @wolfblitzer for hosting me @CNNSitRoom with @vivek_murthy cases hospitalizations continue to surge across the southern half of the US. There is no end in site, no federal plans articulated to end this. Opening schools in the South impossible pic.twitter.com/HrJIQuF9ZN
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 13, 2020
1/3: I've been emphasizing why it's important for kids to be in school (education, food security, mental health counseling) and support @AmerAcadPeds…BUT we just cannot open schools in areas of high transmission. https://t.co/EYkaBaAwk5
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 20, 2020
2/3: Teachers, staff, bus drivers would all get sick within a few weeks under those circumstances. I'm truly disgusted what's happening. The federal government and some states forcing school teachers, our greatest national treasure, to put their lives at risk…why?
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 20, 2020
Many thanks @ChrisJansing for hosting me @MSNBC with @kavitapmd answering questions about schools during these difficult times, and my opinion that it won’t be possible to easily do in-person in areas with high levels of community spread and transmission pic.twitter.com/fdRQLPNRQR
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 21, 2020
Many thanks @KatyTurNBC for hosting me today, here is the doc we discussed to bring the states to containment level first (or close to it) before we can open schools. WH won't take ownership on managing this epidemic, we must not dump it on the teachers https://t.co/4nZsyfCFJ5
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 24, 2020
My "October 1" plan released this week, provides a framework to reset the nation. Our #COVID19 epidemic in the US Southern states now accounts for 1/4 of the global pandemic. In this situation we cannot open schools.
We don't have to live this way. https://t.co/4nZsyfCFJ5
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 24, 2020
Many thanks @NicolleDWallace @bwilliams for hosting me @MSNBC with @JakeSherman. Deaths in US now approaching 1,500 as virus now accelerating in South and Midwest. Still no national strategy. Schools across America will not be safe by the fall. pic.twitter.com/Rkek8oe46h
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 30, 2020
Many thanks @Christi_Paul @VictorBlackwell for hosting me @NewDay discussing why I don’t feel we can safely open schools in many states in South, Midwest where virus is accelerating. Teaches, staff will get sick. I have an “October 1 Plan” to fix this pic.twitter.com/4iOq9vxt16
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 1, 2020
2/3: If you try to open schools in areas of high virus transmission or school districts where virus transmission is accelerating, it is inevitable that teachers, staff, bus drivers will contract #COVID19. Once that happens, things will fall apart rapidly.
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 1, 2020
3/3: I feel we're setting up teachers, principals to fail. It's unfair, unjust, and fails to protect teachers, our greatest national treasure. So first we need to contain this virus through a national plan, and then my Oct 1 plan says we can open schools https://t.co/4nZsyfl4kv
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 1, 2020
My @TheAtlantic interview with @AdrienneLaF
"The push to open schools is guaranteed to fail,"
"Within 2 wks of opening schools in communities with high virus transmission, teachers will become ill….and everything will shut down" https://t.co/YZodZ6mNHe— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 2, 2020
My @nytimes interview with @ShawnHubler this AM, and why I feel it’s not safe to open schools in areas of high #COVID19 virus transmission https://t.co/Q4yBVqwNpS
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 4, 2020
I’ve been writing and speaking on how opening schools in areas of high #COVID19 transmission are guaranteed to fail. I don’t know anything about Paulding County but the pic likely similar in multiple schools. I’ve introduced an Oct 1 federal plan to try and solve this problem https://t.co/FkMXwOLJri
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 4, 2020
Many thanks @wolfblitzer for hosting me @CNNSitRoom re: school openings. I explained why we can’t open schools in areas of high transmission: 20% deaths in adults <65 yo, >35% Hispanic adults <65 yo according @CDCMMWR placing parents teachers staff at risk pic.twitter.com/bRh4SQ1Bfi
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 5, 2020
Many thanks @brikeilarcnn for hosting me @CNN we spoke on why we cannot open schools in areas of high virus transmission, we’re setting up teachers to fail in states like FL GA LA AL. Also new information on severe chronic neurological manifestations of #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/8T3jcwFVJC
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 10, 2020
Great to join Jim @Acosta @vivek_murthy in the @CNNSitRoom discussing another tragic week in the nation due to COVID19 transmission at a high level even if at a plateau, making it impossible to open schools in many areas, also everyday 1,000+ new deaths pic.twitter.com/nEXaWe4QXr
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 14, 2020
Between this (colleges and universities esp in the South) and forcing K-12 schools to open in high transmission areas I worry we could erode any of the modest gains we’ve seen over the last few weeks https://t.co/9OKgN6JoYA
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 26, 2020
Also forced K-12 school and college openings in areas of high COVID19 transmission
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) September 17, 2020
Many thanks @donlemon for hosting me @CNNTonight re NYT revelations of White House arm twisting of CDC to say schools are safe to open. By summer I knew of dangers of opening schools in areas of transmission, met with teachers, school boards, to explain the real science pic.twitter.com/v12f8he8vt
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) September 29, 2020
Many thanks @jaketapper for hosting me @TheLeadCNN on new reports of White House efforts to mislead educators into opening schools even in areas of high virus transmission. Over the summer I did zoom call after zoom call to explain the real science and the risks pic.twitter.com/5YmLnWL1bq
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) September 29, 2020
Difficult to see how we can safely open schools, until as a nation we affirm a reality that our teachers and staff = national treasures. And then ensure their safety by doing everything possible to get them vaccinated as quickly as we can. https://t.co/T3j3C2CRde
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) February 5, 2021
It also goes back to what I’ve been saying, what are the top priorities of this administration’s vaccination plan? Is it: 1) reduce hospitalizations and deaths, 2) interrupt virus transmission, 3) open the economy, 4) open schools? You cannot do all 4 right now, pick your top 2
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) February 11, 2021
My @nytimes recommendations for in-person commencements: 1) Delay until July or August. By then US could be close to full vaccine coverage and transmission will drop, 2) Harmonize within consortia, e.g. all Big 10 schools should agree https://t.co/GNtgd0gsoY
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) April 30, 2021
But it doesn't quite work that way: If there are significant pockets of unvaccinated individuals in the South or WY ID then delta variant virus transmission accelerates, making schools unsafe, other indoor gatherings. Also allows additional variants to emerge. Everyone suffers. https://t.co/KmaxXIo8TH
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) June 24, 2021
I’m quite concerned about the school year starting in the South in a few weeks: Only 15-18% adolescents vaccinated, 30-40% young adults, delta accelerating, no vaccine mandates, no mask mandates, I’m quite worried
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 26, 2021
Many thanks @NicolleDWallace for hosting me @DeadlineWH with the amazing @esglaude @selectedwisdom as delta accelerates across the South we face a new issue: schools here open in just 2-3 wks but almost no adolescents vaccinated, few young adults pic.twitter.com/Y2M4jARYcg
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 26, 2021
Many thanks @JohnKingCNN for hosting me, crunching some numbers of critical importance: high delta virus reproductive number, <20% adolescents vaccinated in the South, young people hospitalized, this won’t go well as schools open in a couple of weeks pic.twitter.com/HxyEzYKGWl
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 30, 2021
3/3:
6. For now, universal mask wearing indoors, especially in high transmission areas.
7. I'm worried for the school year starting in a couple of weeks down here in the South where none of the adolescents, young adults are vaccinated, no one wears masks, and delta accelerating— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 30, 2021
some red state governors don’t realize what’s coming once schools starts: no masks, ridiculously low vaccination rates in adolescents/youngadults, delta Ro 5-8, and already reports of PICU admissions. Sky not falling, but if there’s ever a time to toss pyrrhic ideologies it’s now https://t.co/6EyKu0HxP4
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 30, 2021
Many thanks @andersoncooper for hosting me on @ac360 with @mtosterholm concerned that delta epidemic will take off in the South where hospital admissions including PICU admissions are accelerating and schools open here in 2 weeks: low vaccinations little masking pic.twitter.com/TYVLatrwBk
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 31, 2021
Many thanks @Boris_Sanchez for hosting me this afternoon on my concerns as the delta variant accelerates across the South and unvaccinated young people get sick. I’m worried that this will worsen as schools open in a couple of weeks and few adolescents are vaccinated pic.twitter.com/9P2F928PD6
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) July 31, 2021
The way COVID19 is surging in the South ahead of school openings this month, it’s difficult to imagine how in person classes can go well without requiring Covid vaccinations for all the adolescents, teachers, and staff, as well as masks. Even then it won’t be easy
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 1, 2021
Without implementing vaccine and mask mandates for Southern schools where transmission is accelerating, it’s going to be a huge challenge to continue in person classes. Had we vaccinated all during May and June we wouldn’t have to get to this place https://t.co/7qoMalqd3W
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 2, 2021
Many thanks @CapehartJ for hosting me @thereidout with @kavitapmd re surge of COVID19 here across the South esp affecting unvaccinated young people who are being hospitalized including PICU admissions. I’m worried that school openings will accelerate this pic.twitter.com/vO48s3Fm60
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 2, 2021
Many thanks to @AlisynCamerota @VictorBlackwell for hosting me. Today I raised my serious concerns on what I’m seeing across the South: lots of young people hospitalized including kids in pediatric ICUs. Now school openings next week down here will be = accelerant pic.twitter.com/jXPVseSbBN
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 4, 2021
That's correct Dr. Milmine: The reality is this entire "health freedom" movement from the political right is phony. The reality is this: Our only hope for having a safe and productive school year for our kids and teachers and staff is to implement Covid vaccine and mask mandates https://t.co/JPBNJJwstl
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 6, 2021
NEW: My latest in the @thedailybeast and why we must implement Covid vaccine and mask mandates to safely get through the school year across the South (and likely elsewhere although our school year starts now) https://t.co/MfTe9k9bjy
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 6, 2021
Here’s my article in @thedailybeast out today making this case Read This: "How to Avert COVID-19 Catastrophe in Southern Schools" https://t.co/X5ipmWawbN
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 7, 2021
It’s for that reason we must mandate masks and vaccines in Southern schools. Here’s my @thedailybeast piece from yesterday Read This: "How to Avert COVID-19 Catastrophe in Southern Schools" https://t.co/X5ipmWawbN
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 7, 2021
3/3 also we’re seeing lots of RSV even RSV-Covid co-infections. We’re in crisis mode and must do the following now: 1) mask mandates for schools, 2) vaccine mandates for schools, 12 and up, and 3) EUA for vaccines for school aged kids, 5-11. That’s the reality if you want school
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 7, 2021
Unless we can implement vaccine mandates for schools for adolescent students teachers staff and universal masks I can’t imagine how we can successfully get through August and September
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 8, 2021
Many thanks @morningmika for hosting me @Morning_Joe as delta COVID19 sweeps through the unvaccinated populations in the South. Now we’re seeing many pediatric ICUs filling up with schools opening and this will accelerate in coming weeks pic.twitter.com/HkEXxybqdm
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 9, 2021
many elected officials and parents don’t realize how delta is different from past lineages, in terms of transmissibility severe illness in young people. I explain in @thedailybeast we can only get our kids through schools by mandating masks and vaccines https://t.co/DtwDeN0WNG
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 9, 2021
Also we need to ask the Governors if they’re serious about in person classrooms with delta it will only work if 1) masks are mandated, 2) vaccines mandated for 12 and up, and 3) hopefully soon vaccines approved for 5-11 yo. Otherwise schools will wind up closing in a few wks
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 9, 2021
Many thanks @wolfblitzer for hosting me in @CNNSitRoom discussing the urgency to protect our kids from COVID19 by mandating masks and vaccines in schools. I don’t see another way given the transmissibility of delta and that we’re already seeing PICU admissions pic.twitter.com/iVXSOCiHfx
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 9, 2021
Many thanks @JoyAnnReid for hosting tonight on @thereidout as I explain the imperatives on what might happen if we don’t demand masks and vaccinations in the schools. And why I’m worried pic.twitter.com/mAMLHUjtTX
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 9, 2021
The statement from the President should say that unless we take stronger prevention measures COVID19 will disrupt our nation more than we’ve seen previously. It means expanding vaccine and mask mandates to K-12 schools, colleges, and across the business and other public sectors
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 14, 2021
4/4 So if we're serious about getting our kids through in person classes, we must insist:
1) Everyone who walks into a school is masked (exception some of the special needs kids)
2) Everyone over the age of 12 who walks into a school is vaccinated
I really don't see another way.— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 16, 2021
US coronavirus: Child Covid-19 cases are steadily increasing. But with schools opening, Hotez warns this is just the beginning @CNN https://t.co/sugzacRjlO
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 18, 2021
As I’ve said repeatedly, with this raging transmission the only we’ll get through in person classes is if 1) everyone walking into the school is masked (possible exception of some special needs kids), and 2) everyone 12 and up is vaccinated vs COVID19 https://t.co/rVnhPr0bXx
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) August 27, 2021
Here's what I told @LisaGray_HouTX in my @HoustonChron a month ago, on Aug 13:
As schools reopen, Texas will 'pay the price' for not doing more with masks and vaccines https://t.co/A1XT6mvF9o https://t.co/owqBkeLsKb— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) September 6, 2021
While federal mandates are essential they won’t be adequate. Getting to that last 100 million for example will require school mandates outside the reach of the federal govt. It will also require FDA approvals for school-aged children
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) September 10, 2021
Many thanks @WillieGeist for hosting me @Morning_Joe explaining the challenges of opening schools in the northeast with a highly transmissible variant like omicron, and how we unfairly ask educators to create mini public health departments for testing/tracing pic.twitter.com/wzeBb9nJmO
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) December 29, 2021
My premise is that we’ve depleted state and local health departments for two decades and now propose to kick the can down the road to the schools. We’re asking educators to get a crash doctoral degree in epidemiology. I think it will be really challenging for them to manage…
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) December 29, 2021
Also pointed out that while schools have managed in the past, it’s partly because the previous virus lineages are nothing like omicron. It will be like managing a measles outbreak, tough business
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) December 29, 2021
Hotez: 'Makes No Sense' to Lift School Mask Mandates at This Point https://t.co/jdiOSvxHzL
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) January 25, 2022
These Doctors Wanted to Get Schools Back to Normal. Their Botched Effort May Backfire. My comments with @kieraevebutler @MotherJones https://t.co/UOzh6ZZp97
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) January 28, 2022
In June 2022, Hotez claimed that he “did a lot more to keep schools open that the wing nuts…”
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) June 19, 2022