Letters: Follow COVID rules, Dr. Atlas not inspiring and more | Dec. 3

Let’s all follow COVID-19 rules

COVID-19 has made a major impact on our world. It makes everyday tasks a risk and is slowing down our community.

If there ever was a time to listen to the government, it is now. We need to be quarantining and taking the proper precautions. Some people even contract COVID without knowing about it and can put high-risk people in danger.

“It’s a very quiet illness. So, it can sneak up,” said Anne Fritz-Burkhardt. “You don’t even know the people that are around you who have it.”

A lot of people aren’t doing what they need to be doing so that we can get rid of the virus. I think, unless we start enforcing COVID regulations, we will see the virus continue to spread.” The Benton Franklin Health District says the ongoing rise in community spread boils down to personal behavior. Community members are not wearing face coverings and not staying home.”

To really end COVID, we need everyone to help. This pandemic is a bummer for everyone, but if we just bite the bullet, we can get rid of this pandemic. It would be better for everyone.

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Immigrant friend was right about us

Just over 50 years ago, I had the privilege to befriend a German-born individual who’d emigrated as a child to the U.S. after World War II. He and his family were anti-Hitler and suffered the consequences in camps. As our relationship grew closer I felt our conversations could be personal without arousing his rancor. Was he not relieved and thrilled to be an American now, far from the land that brought the world two wars? He looked at me incredulously.

“It can happen in the U.S. just as easily,” he said. “All it takes is a demagogue who ignores laws, piles on lies, puts people who are loyal only to him in power, screams for law and order, and bellows a long enemies list!”

I opined the people of this country were wiser, more educated, and he said I was naive; he estimated in any country there’s roughly 30-40% of the population which could live under a draconian authoritarian, surrender their freedom and toss their government benefits. He died a few years ago.

Today I feel I should stop by his gravesite with flowers. And apologize.

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Atlas not inspiring any confidence

Would you seek advice from a dermatologist for your heart condition? That’s what Trump is doing as he appoints and gives license to Dr. (Scott) Atlas, a radiologist, to voice (COVID-19) Task Force guidance on this pandemic. It’s troubling to note Dr. Atlas’s recent position on Michigan’s latest COVID-19 restrictions: “The only way this stops is if people rise up.”

It was hearting to see Dr. Atlas’s employer, Stanford University, respond: “We support using masks, social distancing and conducting surveillance and diagnostic testing. We also believe in the importance of strictly following the guidance of local and state health authorities.”

It seems that our vaunted national response, as endorsed by Trump and Dr. Atlas, is to continue to open up the economy while exercising your freedom to do whatever you wish, irrespective of the impacts on others, in hope a vaccine can be dispensed by spring (or whenever) to curb the pandemic. I guess the calculus of an exponential infection rate, currently rising at a rate of over 148,000 cases per day, is manageable for Americans and our economy until then. What was the White House position on Atlas’s contrarian guidance? Nothing; just another day of raging about the unfair election. Truly inspiring leadership.

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Virus loves an open invitation

Regarding the people in the picture of bars and restaurants staying open in defiance of the governor’s restrictions (with) no mask, no social distancing in sight! The virus loves an open invitation like that. Thank you for deciding how I and (my) family and friends will die! Oh, but that’s right, it’s all about you!

This story was originally published December 3, 2020 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Follow COVID rules, Dr. Atlas not inspiring and more | Dec. 3."