Kenyatta weighs in on closures, cancellations in 181st district due to COVID-19

Philadelphia County Delegation    March 12, 2020 | 2:57 PM

PHILADELPHIA, March 12 – Following Mastery Clymer Elementary School announcing its closure for precautionary measures after a student displayed flu-like symptoms and Temple University becoming the latest higher education institution in the region to move all classes online for the remainder of the semester, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Phila., said he supports these measures and will continue to closely monitor updates from within his 181st Legislative District.

“These are aggressive but necessary moves to protect the health and human safety,” Kenyatta said. “I’ve been closely monitoring the latest updates surrounding COVID-19 and having ongoing discussions with Temple University, including the hospital, on efforts to prevent exposure. Fortunately, there hasn’t been a reported case on campus and I fully support Temple’s and Clymer’s decisions to keep its faculty, staff, students and the at-large community safe.”

Kenyatta also announced the cancellation of the upcoming Women’s Resource Fair scheduled for Thursday, March 19 at Lutheran Settlement House, co-hosted by state Rep. Mary Isaacson.

“Representative Isaacson and I were thrilled to co-host this event to celebrate women and encourage solidarity through this resource fair, but the state Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control have strongly cautioned against going into heavily populated contained spaces,” Kenyatta said. “We take this warning very seriously and feel that it’s best to postpone this event until further notice, for everyone’s safety.”

Isaacson, D-Phila., concurred saying, “While I’ve been looking forward to this event for months, excited to bring women together to network and exchange resources, the health of the people of Philadelphia is paramount. While we’ve decided to cancel this event, my staff and I are still eager to help the residents of my district in any way that we can.”

Isaacson said any resident of her district who had been planning to attend the Women’s Resource Fair who wants help with a state program may contact her district office at 215-503-3245.

Kenyatta said residents in his district in need of assistance are also encouraged to contact his district office at 215-978-0311.