Politics and the pandemic

An increase in serious COVID cases caused officials near Orlando to divert oxygen supplies from water treatment to hospitals. The federal government is sending emergency medical assistance teams to help overwhelmed hospitals in Alabama. Georgia is closing schools again because of COVID.

It shouldn’t be surprising that these jurisdictions are led by officials who have decided that they can’t win their primary elections without the support of the antimask, anti-vax extremists. They have decided to put their personal interest in re-election over the public health by opposing or prohibiting mask and vaccination requirements even in schools.

Anne Arundel County has been spared the worst consequences of the latest variants and surges. That isn’t an accident. When County Executive Steuart Pittman took office, he probably thought his biggest challenge was getting a grip on runaway development. But, it was only a couple of months before he, like us, was ambushed by the pandemic. With compassion for the most vulnerable as well as small businesses and the best available advice from doctors and scientists, he led us down a twisting path of incentives, financial support, restrictions and release of restrictions that has left us healthier and more prosperous than many peer jurisdictions.

As the next campaign for county executive comes into focus, we should all keep in mind that each of his three likely challengers has opposed mask and vaccination requirements and supported efforts to revoke the county executive’s authority to implement such requirements.

Bob Gallagher, Annapolis