A call for reason
Advocates for the quick removal of pandemic-related strictures on our civil liberties and economy tend to leave out of their arguments facts that are worth considering.
For instance, pandemics often come in waves, and the first of these bouts is not always the most lethal. (The second wave of the 1918 Spanish flu took more lives than the first or third rounds, all of which occurred within a year.)
Polities that are ahead of the United States in “flattening the curve” — Hokkaido, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, to name a few — are just now providing us data on what a COVID-19 second wave looks like.
Oft glossed over, too, is the fact that municipalities and countries under leaders who immediately took the issue seriously, clamped down hard and fast, employed broad testing early and remained steadfast have enjoyed some of the lowest mortality rates (Germany, which just bit the bullet again and canceled Oktoberfest, comes to mind).
Others, like our own, now have dubious titles, such as “highest number of casualties,” and provide entertainment for the rest of the world in the form of protesters (most free of any personal protection equipment) demanding an ease of safety measures and shut-ins more worried about their 401(k) plan than the health of their community.
Those who cite the laissez faire, herd-mentality approach of the incomparably small island-nation of Sweden, which just reported its largest jump in infections (nearly 700) and deaths (more than 170), fail to mention that this country’s novel coronavirus death toll is well above that of its Scandinavian neighbors, which chose measures more in line with a lockdown mentality.
John Atwell
Kurtistown
Virus impacting care
Cancer is scary enough.
Now imagine fighting cancer during a worldwide pandemic in a rural community where we already have issues with access to proper care and treatment, and top that off with a localized COVID-19 outbreak.
With nearly 19 diagnosed with cancer every day in Hawaii, that’s many people’s reality.
COVID-19 is having a major impact on cancer communities in our hometown. I’m a longtime cancer survivor and cannot imagine what it must be like for those currently undergoing treatment in a time of mandatory shelter-in-place and social distancing.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network recently surveyed more than 1,200 people who were diagnosed with cancer within the past five years. Of those surveyed, half report having had some impact to their health care because of COVID-19, with the most common issue being delayed or canceled care.
Access to care is more important than ever, and the health impact of this pandemic goes beyond just those diagnosed with the virus.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to ensure Hawaii residents have access to affordable, quality health coverage and access.
Gay Okada
Volunteer,
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Kailua-Kona
