Letter to the editor: The toll of our covid response

We will never know just how many American lives were unnecessarily lost to covid-19. What was gained by not acknowledging or addressing the scientific data and early warnings? Who benefited from spreading misinformation about mask wearing, how the virus is spread, calling it a hoax or saying it was just going to disappear?

The initial lack of response to this catastrophic pandemic will be felt for generations: children who lost their parents, parents who buried their children, not to mention the lasting emotional and physical imprint that people will have for the rest of their lives.

The fear, anger and conspiracy theories that were instigated during the pandemic and continue to this day gave fuel to the mistrust of what could have saved lives. What was gained to lessen the loss of a million fellow Americans, and how can you justify this?

For the people who grieve the death of someone dear that might have been prevented had there been a plan and implementation of that plan at the onset of the pandemic, there is no justice.

If you do not want to look at the human loss, then look at the economic loss. The pandemic has hampered our ability to lift ourselves out of the hole covid has put most Americans in. It has resulted in a smaller workforce, product shortages, inflation and price gouging.

When history is written about this dark time in our nation, what will the takeaway be? How will the next generation deal with the consequences of how the pandemic was handled?

Katie Forsythe

North Huntingdon