He had a ‘hunch’
Re “For Trump, virus is a foe like no other,” March 6
President Trump recently boasted of a “hunch” he had on the coronavirus. After all, playing his hunches to overcome challenges is a practice of his that’s been so successful in the past.
Whether it’s picking Cabinet members or making business decisions, he’s a proven winner — if only in his own mind.
But you get the feeling that this time, the carnival act is beginning to fray at the edges and the town folk are getting more than a little restless. It seems like everyone is getting the message that there is no substitute for facts and honesty when dealing with a disease outbreak.
If people continue to become infected and die because of the coronavirus, the next likely items to go out of stock on store shelves are tar and feathers. But that’s just a hunch on my part.
BOB ORY
Elgin, Ill.
Re “Limbo over: Cruise ship to dock at Oakland port,” March 9
I do understand that many people, especially in California, believe there were no troubles in the world until Trump became president. They go to the end of the logical world to accuse him of any and everything.
No one wants to be quarantined on a ship, but with 21 souls on board the cruise liner Grand Princess testing positive for COVID-19, the president showed good judgment in saying he wanted the ship to stay out at sea. The president has to be concerned about all Americans, not just the few on a ship.
When there is a crisis, Americans usually link arms and get down to business. We do not whine and point fingers at others — at least it used to be that way.
JEAN SOLOMON
Los Angeles
The coronavirus response shows us how we should be responding to climate change. An asymptomatic window of up to two weeks allows an infected individual to infect others, but it is still a short enough time to become alarmed enough to take action.
A big difference is we see the consequences of the virus in days, weeks and months, but climate change takes years, decades and centuries. Yet, the consequences of climate change will surpass those of the coronavirus. The spread of disease vectors is just one potential aspect of climate change, which adds on sea level rise, extreme weather, ocean acidity and more.
We don’t have a problem extrapolating an individual to the world when it comes to the coronavirus, yet we cannot seem to comprehend extrapolating our use of fossil fuels to climate change.
PHIL BEAUCHAMP
Chino Hills
Re “Deaths climb at Seattle-area nursing home,” March 8
The spokesman for the Kirkland Life Care Center nursing home near Seattle reported that, as of March 7, not enough COVID-19 test kids have been delivered to diagnose all 63 people still inside. He was not able to say whether the facility had received enough kits to test staff members as well.
You must be kidding. The presence of the coronavirus at this facility has been known for more than two weeks, and yet the government has not been able to deliver even 63 test kits?
This speaks volumes about the hopeless and inexcusable lack of preparedness of this administration.
LICIA PASKAY
Los Angeles