No, the pandemic isn’t over; let’s close the COVID door

Yes, COVID-19 is a pain. Yes, we’re tired. Yes, it can’t be seen so it’s easy to forget. But it’s wishful thinking that the pandemic is over. Even though the infection is now milder for many, it’s still extremely dangerous. We don’t get a badge of courage for the number of times we’ve been infected (vaccinated or not). Instead, our immune systems are silently being destroyed, even with mild symptoms. And this opens the door for other diseases, too. New research shows the more times we get COVID-19, the greater the chance of getting long COVID and damaging our body’s organs. The newest variant (BA.5) is the most contagious yet. Allowing infections to occur allows the virus to keep mutating. To move past this pandemic means we all need to chip in. Getting vaccinated and boosted helps protect against hospitalizations and deaths, but vaccines alone cannot end the pandemic. Let’s embrace caring for others as well as ourselves. Let’s mask up, keep proper distancing, get vaccinated and boosted, improve ventilation systems, and do everything possible to close this COVID door.

Gayle M. Kenny, RN, MS Santa Fe

Out of sight

You should be ashamed of yourself, Santa Fe officials, all governing bodies and whomever else is involved in allowing this major housing crisis to happen. The median price of a home is $675,000 in Santa Fe County and the city combined, yet in a recent article (“Experts: Increase in average income is double-edged sword,” June 25), it stated something along the lines of “yet about 70 percent of Santa Fe’s population can realistically afford houses in the $300,000 range, and there aren’t any.”

As a native santafesino, I’m so sickened by the housing crisis, and a crisis it is. I’m a business owner, a local with deep New Mexican roots and a new mom seeking housing. Yet it’s like jumping through hoops to find true affordable housing in my hometown. What a terrific shame. It’s not like we don’t work hard and deserve to live here. Like many others questioning — what about the locals who help to make this town what it is? We deserve better. We need help. Our ancestors are probably rolling in their graves.

Amanda Schutz Santa Fe

Clean up the water

I have lived in Santa Fe for almost 30 years. I have never once complained about anything, though I have had complaints. I can’t hold back on this issue any longer as I believe it negatively affects the health of residents, specifically the health of many of us who live up near the crossing of Canyon Road and East Alameda roads as well as some residents on East Palace and other parts of town. Drinking water coming into our houses has been brown for some time now — not just days but months. For one resident, it’s been years.

We have contacted the city countless times, and workers come out to flush the hydrant, from which pours brown water with dark, rusted shards of cast iron mixed in it. This flushing does not fix the issue. Though slightly improved after each flushing, we soon again have brown water. The city lines coming into this area need to be checked and replaced — soon, before we get sick. It is wonderful there was enough money for clean public bathrooms on the Plaza with clean water, while longtime residents could be sick or worse from dirty water in their own homes.

Bobbie Foshay Santa Fe

Time to settle

I admire Archbishop John C. Wester for doing all he can to settle the 375 lawsuits filed by people abused by pedophiles in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Fifty years ago, some of my friends and I took our children to a Christmas party at the Servants of the Paraclete in Jemez Springs. The priests who they were helping were also there. It wasn’t until many years later that we found out many of these priests were pedophiles. Many of them were later released to parishes in New Mexico where they continued to abuse children. When Wester was appointed to the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, one of the first things he did was publish a list of priests who had credible claims against them. Two of them were former pastors at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Los Alamos.

Camille Morrison Los Alamos

Cars, cars, cars

Fascinating to see the cars off the Plaza on the Fourth. I appreciate the fact some devoted folk keep such cars alive for me to see.

George Duncan emeritus professor of statistics Carnegie Mellon University Santa Fe

Out of there

Well, at least the British respond and react to bad behavior and decency in government — Boris Johnson has resigned as prime minister. If only we in the U.S. had the guts and gumption to oust the same bad behavior by a former president who considers himself the current president.

Christine B. Boss Santa Fe