Gandhi downplays the dangers of COVID

Regarding “Monica Gandhi: COVID is endemic. Here are five things we can do to keep it that way” (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, Jan. 21): Dr. Monica Gandhi states, “There remains too much sickness and death from COVID even today” yet provides not a single suggestion for reducing that toll and does not push for more urgency in developing new treatments and better vaccines by the federal government, which has abandoned us.

In fact, Gandhi works to diminish the death toll without evidence, despite research that shows excess deaths in the U.S. correlate with COVID spikes. Seniors and other vulnerable people now have the privilege to “always choose to protect themselves … ” Thank you, doc.

I am 70 years old and will have heart surgery in two months. I cannot wait to see all the physicians, nurses and staff in and out of my room without masks on, as you advocate.

After all, who comes to work sick? Who always remembers to wash their hands? In Dr. Gandhi’s world it would all be on me.

Most religions are based on protecting the poor, the sick, the oppressed, the starving and the vulnerable because societies universally fail to do so. With regard to COVID, our society is still in need of such inspiration.

Sanford Goldstein, San Francisco