Trust in Dr. Fauci’s words

Who cares if President Trump now believes that the nasty, horrible coronavirus will get worse before it gets better? Or that his viewpoint about wearing face masks during a health pandemic has suddenly become more favorable?

The only person I’m interested in hearing from at a daily COVID19 press briefing is an expert who provides sciencebased information. His name is Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984.

Julissa Mendoza, Daly City

Undermining government

Concerning “New Trump census plan would cost the state seats in House” (Page 1, July 22): After more than 3½ years in office and with 3½ months until Election Day, President Trump has foolishly chosen to continue his war on undocumented immigrants by ordering census officials to exclude them from the decennial population count.

He slanders these lawabiding, hardworking people as “aliens” and willfully defies our Constitution’s requirement that everyone in the U.S. be counted in the census, making him unworthy of the high office in which he still serves. Ultimately, Trump’s rationalization for not counting undocumented immigrants is the reason his order cannot be implemented: It undermines our system of government.

Ezra Steindler, San Francisco

Mail ballots early

Regarding “A votersuppression scenario” (Letters, July 21): The writer suggested that those who want to suppress voting could lead a “sickout” by postal workers during the week of the November election, preventing ballots from being postmarked on Election Day or delivered by Friday, Nov. 6, and thus invalidating them. I know some of us are procrastinators, but how about mailing your ballot in before the deadline?

Joan Greenfield, San Francisco

Mother Nature’s styling

Well, even though “Outdoors care has hair stylists, barbers on edge” (Business, July 22) during this COVID19 pandemic, there’s an upside to getting your hair cut and styled outside: Mother Nature can provide the blowanddry part of this process.

Imani Adubayo, Oakland

Wear masks in compliance

Regarding the San Francisco Department of Public Health regulation concerning the wearing of face coverings in public to prevent the spread of COVID19, it is clearly stated that a face mask with a oneway valve is not acceptable and will not be considered in compliance with the order. As an epidemiologist who worked for both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, I applaud this recommendation. I am concerned while noticing the wearing of these masks by TV reporters and public officials in public. A simple health message that, for some reason, has not been disseminated to the public. It appears that San Francisco is leading the way in applying science and common sense to fighting the spread of this virus, and one can only hope that other communities, as well as both international and national health organizations, follow suit.

Richard Guidotti, Saint GenisPouilly, France

Causes for rise in cases

I never thought I’d read the headline “California this week could overtake N.Y. in virus cases” ( July 21). Wasn’t it just two months ago that New York City was being called the epicenter of the coronavirus, while the Golden State was better managing this crisis? Our state’s ongoing failure to control COVID19 is due to a lack of three very important things: sufficient testing, sufficient tracing and sufficient personal responsibility.

Marisol Echevarria, Daly City

Embrace community tutors

While politicians, educators and parents decide on the right time to open schools, children’s precious time, which we as a society have agreed should be spent on learning, is being squandered.

While our president picks another fight with scientists, public health experts, politicians, educators and parents, thus distracting us from his incompetence, children wait for those in charge to decide their fate. In the meantime, embracing the concept that “it takes a village,” imagine healthy seniors and young people from each community, volunteering as tutors to their neighborhood children for an hour or two per week. Sitting at picnic tables in outdoor public parks to maintain a physical distance, the tutors will wear protective gear and instruct one or two children.

Not much preparation is necessary except for a large dose of goodwill and enthusiasm. Workbooks with curriculum for each school grade are available for purchase at Costco and similar outlets. The tutor chooses the subject and school grade they wish to teach. The children rotate from one tutor to another, thus benefiting from various disciplines and teaching styles. The possibilities are as grand as our imagination. It’s not rocket science. It’s caring!

Hilda Ayala, San Bruno

Ways to help lowincome kids

Parents who can afford it are forming teaching “pods” and hiring a pod teacher to help their children learn remotely (and provide childcare). Great idea, but it abandons lowincome children whose parents typically can’t work from home.

What if parents chip in to add one lowincome child into their pod? Perhaps the state could offer a tax advantage or recognition to these parents.

Victoria Merriman, Walnut Creek