Science City and COVID-19

I was a bit befuddled when I read that the GOP of Los Alamos — Los Alamos, Science City, where an international collaboration of brilliant scientists joined to build the bomb to defeat fascism, and where discoveries are made with generations of brilliant scientists and engineers contributing their expertise to further national interests — I was a bit befuddled that here, in Science City, the GOP held a parade to Shut Down the Shutdown.

So who are these guys? Locals? In Science City? Do they not understand epidemiology and how a virus spreads, and, more to the point, how this novel COVID might not offer immunity to those who already had it?

A 70% to 90% infection rate is required to starve a normal virus. With the novel COVID, a high infection rate won’t offer herd immunity because you might not acquire immunity from your first infection. Therefore, if we reopen the U.S. too soon, there’s not much likelihood of an effective herd immunity. We have a second opportunity to spread it or die.

That brings up the point of why are these GOP parading? To support the president? Do they hope he’ll personally hand them a Keep America Great hat? I bet he won’t. I bet he doesn’t even know they’re doing this. I’d say, how about rethinking the Trump fantasy and instead supporting our community. The sooner we starve the virus worldwide, the sooner we can safely reopen. Even stalwart GOP people will be less likely to get sick and spread the disease to their families, churches and fellow shoppers at Walmart.

We can reopen society. But only after we contain the COVID. Science shows us how. This is Science City. Let science trump Trump. Let’s all stay safe and smart. Trump doesn’t care about you. We do. JODY BENSON Los Alamos