A comedic tragedy
I am certain that I am not the only one who finds it extremely ironic that so many of the folks who have complained about, and protested, Oregon’s COVID-19 protocols and various categories of county statuses with regard to business openings and mass gatherings, and who are the same people who have circulated many (unsuccessful) petitions for Gov. Brown’s recall, are also the folks least likely to do what is necessary to get us past the present pandemic.
Namely: Wear masks, keep your distance from others, avoid mass gatherings and, most importantly, get vaccinated.
More: Funky cold Moderna
But since most of these people are Trump supporters (or Republicans; they are one and the same), they also tend to believe that COVID-19 really doesn’t exist and that the pandemic is a giant hoax perpetuated by Democrats to (somehow) take over the world. And so they refuse to get vaccinated, which hinders the quest for “herd immunity,” which means that the pandemic, and varying degrees of closures/lockdowns, will continue indefinitely.
It appears, then, that the original intent of these folks, which was to open up the economy, is being sabotaged — by their own actions! Funny, if it wasn’t so sad.
Steven F. Salman, Springfield
COVID-19 vaccine shows us power of single-payer health care
Have you had your COVID-19 shots? If you have, you have experienced publicly funded health care — known as Medicare for All or single-payer health care.
You didn’t have to worry about a co-pay or a bill. Like the best of socialized health care, the vaccine, paid for by general taxation, is free at the point of use and comes without a mountain of paperwork.
The federal government bought the vaccines and distributed doses to public and private providers, deciding that this life-saving vaccine should be distributed on the basis of need, rather than left to the free market.
The government will pay private providers for vaccination services rendered — a single-payer, multi-provider system. We have access to the vaccine regardless of whether we have private insurance or are uninsured.
The COVID-19 vaccine demonstrates what’s possible when the political will exists. This is the right time to support publicly funded health care for everyone.
Jo Alexander, Corvallis
Silver lining still stinks
Today I went to watch my freshman granddaughter’s softball game at Thurston High School, something I’d been looking forward to all day. The visiting team, Sheldon, I was told, was allotted one spectator ticket per player. I didn’t have a ticket for the game so wasn’t allowed entry. Never mind that it was outdoors, mask on, social distancing in place.
No wonder we’re all suffering COVID-19 burnout. I do my part: been vaccinated, work from home, limit contact, etc. But some days it seems we’ve lost our minds. We could sit in a restaurant (until recently), six to a table, in a room with people unmasked, but we can’t go to an outdoor sporting event with maybe 40 people in attendance and enjoy the kids and give them our support?
Guess I’ll console myself by remembering that at least they are getting to play.
Leah Thomas, Springfield
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