Sounding off: Trump's incompetent covid-19 response

How the President Trump-named “Chinese virus” became the “Trump Virus,” bringing the most powerful country in the world to its knees:

After a single case of coronavirus in China became a pandemic and reached our shores in January, we had a federal response I believe was incompetent. Trump and his administration not only failed to control the virus, but let it become the most dangerous outbreak on the planet.

Trump from the start denied its severity, refused to listen to the advice of his public health experts, focused on its economic impact (as that might affect his reelection), and began a campaign of misinformation that, in my opinion, resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans.

He politicized this national crisis early on, telling the public he had everything under control, Democrats in Democrat-controlled states were overreaching and infringing on the rights of Americans, the Chinese were doing a great job to control the virus, and it would go away in a couple weeks. This resulted in mass confusion, a lack of support by many Americans to play a role in stopping the virus, and Republican governors opening their states without following the guidelines his administration provided.

During World War II, everyone played a role and did their part to help. Those Americans who follow Trump’s example and refuse to make even the smallest of sacrifices, like wearing a mask that could save lives, should be proud of their patriotism. A Trump virus?

Bob Grottenthaler, Springdale

How about extra payment for essential workers?

I’m writing to find out where the talk about the essential workers’ hazard pay went. I have worked through this whole pandemic and put my family at risk every time I walk into my home after work. There are people who don’t have jobs who got a stimulus check, and I feel the essential workers should receive somewhat of a “thank-you” payment. We bust our behinds daily to make sure the American public is taken care of through this whole mess and we get nothing in return, just the wages we earn every other day.

Bruna Leonard, Unity

Restrictions on bars, restaurants are unfair

My mind is in knots trying to figure out the logic of county and state officials imposing restrictions on a single industry because of the actions of (by their own admission) a few bad actors.

This most recent crippling of the hospitality industry — which will most likely be the death blow for many of our favorite neighborhood establishments — is hypocritical at best, and criminal at worst. Contact tracing showed bars in the South Side and Oakland breaking the rules? Punish the entire county. Allegheny and Philadelphia have a spike in cases? Shut down bars in Cambria and Potter.

Imagine the outrage if the governor shut down all places of worship for a particular religion because an investigation showed a few members of one were plotting something nefarious. Just like we are (justifiably) upset when groups of peaceful protesters are rounded up and detained (or worse) because one idiot set a car on fire.

Wear a mask. Wear 10 masks on top of one another. And when a person doesn’t, don’t let them in. And when an establishment doesn’t follow the rules, fine them.

If masks violate your personal liberty, stay home. Don’t decimate an industry and deprive people of one of their few remaining outlets of normalcy because of a few selfish morons.

Toby Eberhart, O’Hara

No reason to cancel fall college sports

Mark Madden is, in my opinion, 100% incorrect about playing college sports (“College sports need to tap out for fall season” ). I believe there is zero reason for colleges to be canceling seasons, or to be holding classes online. (The same argument applies to K-12 even more strongly.) The infection fatality rate from covid-19 for people in the age range of 20-49 is 0.3%, which is similar to the flu. (It is much lower than that for people younger than 20.)

We have to stop canceling everything on account of the coronavirus. The excessive fear of the virus, which is in large part driven by the media, is causing far more damage than the virus itself. The schools that are canceling their fall seasons are destroying the dreams of their students. The vast majority of college athletes play because they love the sport, not because they expect to get paid, and I’m sure if you polled them there would be overwhelming support for going ahead with their seasons this fall.

Michael Sierk, Hempfield

What I learned during covid-19

1. The world slowed down, so did pollution, stress and crime.

2. There really is “no place like home.” We weren’t stuck at home, we were safe at home.

3. I could spend hours just talking to my wife every evening across the kitchen table.

4. You really can lose weight just walking around your neighborhood each day.

5. Long hair can come back in style real fast.

6. Everyone should have a little garden. Getting your hands in the dirt can be very therapeutic.

7. A 30-minute Mass on TV with a two-minute power-packed homily is awesome.

8. Home cooking is way better. And so is making a good drink at home for under a buck. You really can live out of your freezer and pantry for months.

9. Tons of money can be saved by not going to bars, restaurants, malls and casinos as often.

10. How to wash my hands. I never imagined my hands could consume more alcohol than my mouth.

11. How to pray for divine intervention to help our doctors and medical researchers develop a cure.

12. Technology really helps us stay in touch with loved ones out of state or in nursing homes.

If there is a second wave, I imagine I’ll learn some more!

David Todaro, South Greensburg

Trump has accomplished much

The headline on Joanne Garing’s letter “Reschenthaler’s Trump view out of touch” was aimed at Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, but the letter was a rant against President Trump.

This president has done all the things his predecessor announced would be impossible. As for the number of people working, of course it is a result of cutting corporate taxes, thus encouraging companies to return to the United States and open jobs to Americans.

More minorities have jobs than ever before. And lifting restrictions the opposing party set up has indeed offered very good-paying jobs, unlike the “shovel (not) ready” jobs his predecessor promised.

Look at the conditions in the streets of American cities at present: It is the opposing party that seems to encourage protests that become riots. The party also seems to have no problem with tearing down statues that are part of our history … good and bad.

Would Garing rather see this president removed so the country can be transformed — which means changed? Changed to what … a new world order?

If things in this country are so poor, why do people continue to try to come here?

Nicholas Liberto, Blawnox

Allegheny County covid-19 spread from demonstrations?

To Allegheny County officials and the county Health Department: You claim the recent spike in covid-19 cases among young people is caused by travel to other states (“Allegheny County health officials warn of coronavirus spread in younger people”). If you believe that, I think you are either naive or just plain lying.

I think the majority of these cases came from the recent demonstrations and riots. The time frame is too perfect to be anything else. If you think these young people are going to be truthful to you about what they did, then you need a reality check. I’m guessing these people were told by their leaders to lie or their demonstrations would be shut down.

Do you think these people are right and all police officers and white people who do not agree with or bow down to them are racist? Did you try to verify their stories, or just shut down restaurants and bars?

Dennis Wittmer, Frazer