Mask policies
I was a co-founder of Hawaii Emergency Physicians Associated in 1971 and spent the majority of my 30-year emergency medicine career at Hilo Medical Center.
I want to mention an incident that happened many years ago regarding the seat belt law that has some bearing on the current pandemic and face mask use.
Two young local men were brought in by EMS at about 1 a.m. after crashing their car into a tree. They appeared to be not badly hurt, but the paramedics said the car was destroyed in the crash.
When I questioned them during the exam, they said they were saved by their seat belts. They had never before used seat belts, but since the law went into effect at midnight, they decided they’d better put them on.
They were saved from critical injury and death because of the new law. We will never change the course of the COVID-19 pandemic until face coverings are required by laws at the state and federal level.
Fred Holschuh
Honokaa
Just wear it
If someone said to me it is their right to not wear a mask, I would say I understand — I can’t believe I have to wear clothes in public.
Point is, wear a mask to protect others. Don’t make it political.
Roy O’Neal
Kurtistown
Just how dumb?
Just what is wrong with voters?
Just because there is a rumor going around the internet that you must put postage on the return envelope from the County of Hawaii Elections Division, you don’t need to believe it.
Then again, maybe you need to include your Social Security number, as well.
If you look at the envelope that needs to be returned with your ballot, you’ll see, in the center of the front, there is the wording, “Postage will be paid by addressee.”
Additionally, in the upper right corner where a stamp usually goes, there are the words, “No postage necessary if mailed in the United States.” Perhaps some people don’t know who the addressee is, or what “No” means.
But I guess there are those folks who would rather believe what’s on the internet, and add postage.
How dumb are they?
And we want to make it easier for residents to register to vote? Come on, you normally only have to register once! The least you can do is go to the Elections Division to register. Maybe that’s too hard.
Give me a break. Perhaps we need to tell them who to vote for, as well?
Michael L. Last
Naalehu