It’s too soon to safely reopen the country
Regarding “Measuring a path to safety” (May 3): According to a Harvard University study, the U.S. needs to be testing 5 million per day and up to 20 million by July in order to safely reopen the country. Only about 2% — about 5.5 million — have been tested so far. Thus, the number of Americans infected by the virus is vastly undercounted. In other words, the U.S. doesn’t know what it doesn’t know to make any decisions about reopening the country. Yet, nearly half of the U.S. will reopen in some form beginning this week. I fear these reopenings are too soon, risking resurgences of COVID19.
Those of us who paid attention to the infectioncontrol experts, knew or should have known, that we were in for a marathon, not a sprint. If other resurgences occur, will the public tolerate another shutdown or will we take our chances and ride out the resurgences, hoping for herd immunity or a vaccine to save us? There is, however, currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection. And a vaccine ready for use is probably at least a year away.
Ralph Stone, San Francisco
Staggered schedules
Concerning “Figuring out how to restart schools a tough equation” (Page 1, May 4): Since class sizes of 30 or more students are typical, there can’t possibly be enough room space to keep desks and students 6 feet apart, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending when our schools reopen.
Therefore, this retired teacher believes that a combination of staggered schedules and online learning will have to be implemented as the safest way to resume educating children in California and elsewhere. And with states facing budget cuts due to greatly reduced tax revenues, it is vital that Congress provide billions of federal dollars in educational stabilization funds to help our school districts. This money will be needed to buy technology for students of lowincome families and also to serve those with special needs. If we don’t invest in our nation’s youth during this current pandemic, we will diminish their (and our) chances for a brighter future long after it has ended.
Phyllis Ramirez, San Francisco
Lack of leadership
Regarding “Governor decries racist imagery” (Across the Nation, May 4): As a native Michigander who relocated to the Bay Area, I’m disgusted to read that guncarrying protestors who are against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s decision to extend stayathome orders amid the coronavirus pandemic included Confederate flags, nooses and swastikas in their demonstrations. How could President Trump possibly call these protesters very good people and ask Whitmer to negotiate with them? Here’s an analogy for this disgraceful lack of federal leadership: Trump is to unity as oil is to water.
Jean Louis Cook, San Francisco
Be responsible
On demonstrating to reopen America: I agree that each of us has the right to express their opinion on reopening America. I also agree that all are free to demonstrate publicly and even to ignore medical and epidemiological advice.
However, I would propose that anyone that contracts the virus while conducting themselves this way should not clutter up our overburdened health care system. Stay home, enjoy your liberty and leave the precious and limited hospital beds and lifesaving equipment for those who actually followed the rules and made an effort to avoid sickness. Don’t deny the science when it is convenient and then expect nurses and doctors to save you when your plan falls apart. Be safe or be responsible for the consequences.
Peter Clark, Santa Cruz
Overhaul the system
Regarding “Libertarian could tip scales in Trump’s favor” (Letters, May 1): Neither President Trump nor Joe Biden would ever be my first choice for president, but comparing today’s Libertarian candidate Justin Amash to Ralph Nader’s failed Green Party campaign in 2000, while thoroughly predictable, misses the point. There’s a great number of us who believe that the difference between the major party candidates is purely a matter of tone and style, not real substance. On the biggest issues, both parties follow the same line. We need leadership that stands up to this, exposes it and delivers something better. We can do better. Unless and until this happens, expect more of the same. I have no doubt it will remain a twoparty system and that most Americans will continue to hold a classical liberal position. We just need a party that offers what most of us are searching for: one that maintains our economic system and overhauls the political one — the one that gave us Trump and Biden.
Stan DeVaughn, Sacramento
Withholding votes
Regarding “No sanctuary from politics” (Editorial, May 2): President Trump, by threatening to withhold muchneeded coronavirusrelated federal aid from states that have sanctuary cities for undocumented immigrants, similar to when he conditioned foreign aid to Ukraine in exchange for damaging information to use against political rival Joe Biden, is creating yet another unethical quid pro quo situation. The only thing Trump is guaranteeing with his latest threat is that more citizens will withhold their votes from him in this November’s presidential election.
Hector Maldonado, Pinole
Envious of Canada
After reading “Decree bans sale of assault weapons” (May 2), which describes how the nation sharing our northernmost border is going to ban the use and trade of assaultstyle weapons following a mass shooting that killed over 20 of its citizens, I have a case of Canada envy. Kudos to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for bluntly stating that, “Canadians need more than thoughts and prayers,” and that (as even gun rights advocates clearly know) AR15 rifles and other militarygrade assault weapons were designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to kill the largest number of people in the shortest amount of time.
Francine TompkinsOliviera, Berkeley
Universal testing
I’m writing to thank The Chronicle for your ongoing prominent coverage of the tragic COVID19 outbreaks in Bay Area nursing homes. From your good work, we know that California must institute universal testing in those homes, not only to spare the residents and staff, but also to prevent further spreading of the disease into the nearby communities.
Rhoda Haberman, Oakland