No applause

Re “Vaccine offers light of hope in an otherwise dark year” (Our Views, Dec.

17): I read the editorial and stopped short at the sentences giving President Donald Trump some credit for the development of the vaccine.

Let us all recall in March when he said publicly that he did not want a cruise ship to disembark in California because there were COVID-19 passengers on board, and their statistics would raise the numbers of infections in the United States.

According to several reports, having blue states with outbreaks was of no concern to him. He has steadfastly refused to wear a mask, putting his staffers at risk.

He has repeatedly criticized the medical professionals for telling the truth and has demeaned those who would question his handling of the virus. His narcissistic need to show a booming economy as his ticket to reelection placed the safety of our nation in peril. His blatant denial of the seriousness of the pandemic has resulted in shutdowns, unemployment, virtual instruction, and a fearful public that has looked for leadership only to have been told that things would magically go away.

I do not hold the president responsible for COVID-19. I hold him responsible for the misery of 17,800,000 Americans who have been infected and for the 300,000plus Americans who have lost their lives. It did not have to be this way. It did not have to be a nightmare. Early intervention and solid planning could have curbed the chaos. He and his enablers should be charged with negligent homicide and dereliction of duty.

Ginny Diezel, Virginia Beach