OPINIONS: Views from around the Mother Lode,

To the Editor:

At its July 7 meeting the Boad of Supervisors chose education as the tool to combat the growing spread of COVID-19 in our county, directing the Health Department to create a team to educate businesses about the virus if a complaint is received. Deeply disappointing. Our Health Department is already working seven days/week tracing contacts. Now it is given this additional task, time consuming and of questionable value.

Education? Would this also be their solution for drunk driving? Really? Who among us is not familiar with the risks of the coronavirus? Those who do not wear masks do so by choice, not ignorance.

Lack of compliance with mask wearing and physical distancing brings risks. An overcrowded hospital. Loss of state funds ($5.5 million). Return to Stage 1 business closures due to increased cases. Can we afford this?

Education is a hollow gesture by the BOS. It will be weeks, if not months, before any action can be taken. How many COVID-19 cases will we have by then? If people choose not to wear masks and practice physical distancing thereby endangering the health of their neighbors and our businesses, they should be fined. I am not suggesting jail, which some communities have chosen for noncompliance.

A poll by mymotherlode shows 55% of respondents support wearing masks. We did this in March and April. Our numbers stayed low. Let's do this!

We elected the BOS members to be our leaders. What will it take for them to step up? Challenging times require courageous action and tough decisions. No waffling. Enforce the law. It is not a choice. This is a plea for the BOS to take the steps necessary to protect us from those making choices that endanger us all.

Ellen Beck Sonora