LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
People who don’t wear masks are being selfish
In his Oct. 8 letter, “People should be able to choose whether or not to wear masks,” Carl Wochele stated, “People are smart enough to make their own decisions.” While I’m not sure that being smart is a factor in deciding to risk your health or your life by not masking in public, I’m positive that being callous and selfish help a lot when deciding to risk the health and lives of others.
Neal Snyder, Columbus
Show your smarts by getting vaccinated
Regarding Carl Wochele’s comment (Oct. 8 letter, “People should be able to choose
whether or not to wear masks”) about people being “smart” to decide about wearing masks, if people were really smart they would get the vaccine. Over 700,000 people in the U.S. alone have died from COVID.
Jan Ryan, Reynoldsburg
Nurses play key role in promoting healthy, informed choices
RE “Nurses must combat vaccine hesitancy among fellow nurses“Oct. 11 by registered nurses Heather Tubbs Cooley and Jin Jun: Thanks to both authors for so eloquently defining the responsibility of all RNS to recognize the influence they have with the public, especially when it comes to polarized issues like COVID vaccinations.
I have been a registered nurse for over 50 years and witnessed the key role nurses play not only at the bedside, but also when it comes to shaping public opinion. Throughout my career, I’ve been asked many times to weigh in on important health care issues. I was asked my opinion because of my RN credentials and credibility. It was therefore incumbent upon me (and all RNS) to make sure that the answers I gave were rooted in science and not in hot-button, poorly substantiated information found largely on social media platforms of dubious repute.
People are watching us and hopefully seeing nurses stepping up both through their words and more significantly through their actions to set an example that ultimately will be in the best interest of the public’s health and safety.
Jan Lanier, RN, Westerville