There must be a better use of platform than criticizing mask decisions
Re: “The mask mandates did nothing — will any lessons be learned?” Feb. 26 commentary
Of the myriad important issues Bret Stephens could have addressed in his Sunday essay, he chose to dredge up a study criticizing the ineffectiveness of the mask mandate.
As a moderate conservative, he could opine about how to take back his party from the MAGA crowd that now has imbecilic MTG seemingly as the unchecked face and voice in policy for the Republican Party, in particular on defunding support for Ukraine. Reagan must be rolling over in his grave at the prospect of not defending a legitimate democracy that he helped bring about from the immoral and abhorrent Soviet evil empire.
But instead, Stephens writes about how the mask mandates did unbelievable harm to society. In his opinion, the CDC didn’t get it right. Or maybe he didn’t like their approach. Who knows? But I do remember hospitals critically overflowing and conspiracy theories flying and the prospect of following the best science to
“do something” was pretty significant. One person suggested we inject bleach and some people tried ingesting it. Stephens didn’t mention that egregious mistake.
Over 1 million fellow citizens died, but wearing masks didn’t kill any of them. Mask mandates as a critical issue pale in comparison to the existential threat the Soviet/ Chinese/ Iranian troika pose to us in defending the free world and preserving a European democracy.
As a Reagan Republican, Stephens needs to step up on this issue and move on from the masks or provide his solution to the next pandemic.
— Tom Sabel, Lakewood
It’s only a matter of time before the next lethal pandemic arrives. What we learned from Covid is that our public health ‘ system’ isn’t a system at all but rather a loose patchwork of disconnected federal, state, and local agencies, Medical School and Hospital physicians and researchers, plus the hodgepodge of opinions from poorly informed politicians and internet ‘ experts’ seeking attention.
Clearly, the United States needs a well- organized, accountable federal/ state/ local public health system that incorporates legitimate medical and research experts from industry, universities, and hospitals. Coordinated research, including vastly improved data collection and processing that is the basis for coherent public health policy and messaging, is needed.
If a rational reorganization is not now underway, it should be. Pandemics always bring fear and uncertainty. If we lack the political maturity to grapple with the very difficult issues of individual freedoms vs. public good ( whether about ‘ lockdowns’, masks, vaccines or quarantines), we’re in for yet another round of pandemic pandemonium the next time a terrible virus ( that doesn’t give a hoot about anyone’s freedom or politics) shows up.
— Mark Vary, Broomfield