Letters to the editor: Swimming pools, vaccines, gun arrest, racism, U.S. response to COVID-19
Vaccines
It is encouraging to read about the global effort to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and it is hopeful that before the end of the year there will be a vaccination to help to eradicate the virus.
However, in this quest for the COVID-19 vaccine we can’t forget the progress that has been made around the world by providing early childhood vaccinations. Unfortunately, many of the vaccination programs in low-income countries have had to be suspended as resources are redirected. Already, there have been reported increases in measles which has proven even more contagious than COVID-19.
The U.S. has been a leader in the global response to deadly diseases. Now more than ever our support is needed. The House of Representatives failed to include any real international response to the coronavirus in their new bill. We now need to count on Senator Crapo and Senator Risch to make sure our country continues to do its part in the response to this global pandemic.
Kris Paulson, Boise
Swimming pools
In anticipation of summer and all the fun activities associated with it, would the city of Boise reconsider the decision to not open the community outdoor pools and suspend the Youth Summer Recreational Swim Team? As Idaho is moving through the various stages of reopening successfully, it is not unreasonable to think that the public swimming activities can be managed as successfully as have those at private swimming facilities. Many people do not have access to or cannot afford the private pools, but most of us pay city taxes for public facilities. Please take another look and give adults and children the opportunity to learn to swim, get some exercise, and/or just enjoy Boise’s great pools. These normally would have opened on Memorial Day so it is not too late. Considering we’ve all been through the difficult time of being shut in due to Covid19, and most other summer sports programs were cancelled, carefully resuming this normal summer activity would be greatly appreciated by many.
Vicki Keen, Boise
Gun arrest
A day or so before the Black Lives Candlelight Vigil on the Statehouse steps, a Michael Wallace, 18, took a loaded gun downtown to where a BLM march was going on and fired it. He did not fire it at any person. Lisa Sanchez wrote an open letter to this Michael Wallace and his parents. I am writing to thank her for her letter. We should all be sending letters to the Statesman and any and all local papers in support of her action. We need this young man and his family to understand that his action was immature and dangerous. He showed very poor judgment. It bothers me that he had access to a firearm. I would like to see that change.
Janelle Wintersteen, Boise
Racism
As many readers surely felt upon reading Tuesday’s opinion piece written by Dr. Charlene Taylor, I was left both stunned and disappointed. May she know that there are many of us living here in Boise who, upon witnessing this blatant racism, would not have hesitated to walk over to her and emphatically state that the small mind and ignorance of the indivudal who hurled this slander does not represent the majority.
She is right when stating that we must stand, speak up, act. And, yes, every time. Our silence is not an option.
Linda Hildenbrandt Kahn, Boise
U.S. response
America has had the most confirmed cases and the most deaths of any country on earth from COVID-19. That is according to the World Health Organization website (covid19.who.int) as of June 16. Globally, the USA has accounted for 26% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases and related deaths.
Consider that there are 195 countries in the world. Globally, China accounts for only 1% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths. The COVID-19 death rate in the U.S. has now passed 340 per million residents, just over 100 times the per capita rate in China. Australia, Hong Kong, Mongolia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have been able to keep their COVID-19 fatalities below 7 deaths per million residents while Austria, Germany, and Greece have significantly lower per-capita mortality rates than the U.S.
New Zealand has declared the virus eradicated for now and has suspended social distancing, and Australia is soon expected to do the same in the near future. Unlike America, countries that acted early/effectively on the available information were able to avoid the worst of the pandemic. Perhaps the need for the $1.76 trillion CARES Act could have been lessened had America acted more effectively.
Tom Lorentz, Boise