Vaccine priorities
We now have about a year’s worth of data on the coronavirus. By far the group most at risk are the elderly and people with other serious medical conditions. If people in this group come down with the virus, they are much more likely than any other group to die or become very ill.
On Thursday, I read in this newspaper that teachers and other government employees have jumped to the front of the line to get vaccinated ahead of the people who are most at risk.
I am older than 75, and I cannot even get a firm date for when I can get vaccinated, while low-risk people are already getting the vaccine.
It is sad that there seems to be almost no public outrage over this. The public employee unions are showing that they are selfish, powerful and arrogant.
I wonder why we keep electing politicians who let this happen?
Charles Hanson
Mountain View
Too noisy
I recently lost my job because of a leaf blower-addicted neighbor.
Monday through Thursday, and sometimes on Fridays and Saturdays, he leaf blows from about 10 a.m. until almost 4 p.m. Closing windows doesn’t help; the 99-decibel roar cuts right through the walls and windows. And there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it because he is within the current hours that the state has mandated for leaf blower use.
I tried calmly reasoning with him and was met with hostility and threats.
As a result of COVID-19, more at-home workers than ever are being impacted by noise from excessive, unmitigated use of gas-powered yard tools. They are conducting Zoom meetings, teaching online, have moved medical and therapy appointments to an online platform, are on the phone and so on.
Anyone who has ever been talking on the phone with someone who has loud noise going on in the background knows how difficult it is to communicate. Noise-canceling headphones do no good when one has to be on the phone or in online meetings.
The current state law allows leaf blowers to be used “between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on any day except Sunday or a state or federal holiday, and between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday or any state or federal holiday.” Though the vast majority of residential property owners operate their machines respectfully and sparingly, there are rogues who fall far outside the norm and are detrimental to the health and livelihoods of those around them.
Hawaii County needs to limit the amount of time and frequency for leaf blower use in residential areas in order to bring such rogue users under control, so others don’t suffer the detrimental consequences I have.
Joey Buck
Volcano