letter to the editor

COVID-19 and irresponsibilty

Mon, 05/11/2020 - 2:30pm

Dear Editor:

It was with great anger and dismay that I saw a photo of four of our citizens, including a past state representative, in Bethel to support Rick Savage's opening of his Sunday River Brewery restaurant to indoor dining amid a pandemic and against a closure order by the governor.

I respect everyone's right to protest as I have in my lifetime been to Washington many times in protest. However, to attend a gathering of hoards of people without social distancing and without masks is incredibly irresponsible and looks like a means to get attention.

I have been wearing a mask since November under a doctor’s orders as I have been seriously immune deficient while in chemo therapy for leukemia. So I get it, wearing a mask is not fun. I also get that people are financially hurting and it's a very hard time for so many people. It's a catch-22 scenario.

That being said, to come back into our small community after attending such an event without protection puts us all at risk. Those folks should be tested to ensure they are not carriers of the virus – oops, can't do that, not enough tests because of the incompetence of our national government. So we could have three typhoid Mary's and one typhoid man in our community and nobody would know. And therein lies the problem.

I don't have a solution for what is best in reopening but I do know that flagrantly going about without a mask is dangerous to those whom you come in contact with. Be respectful and thoughtfully do your best to protect your fellow citizens, wear a mask, keep six feet apart and think before you act.

Bonnie Ginger

Boothbay