Letters to the Editor 04.30.20

Beach Daze

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! Guess what? Life comes first! If you decide to endanger my life or the lives of those I love, then I will support the government to remove your liberties (“Lovers Point closed until further notice due to people not social distancing,” posted April 25). Sam Martinez | via Facebook

OMG stay home! I miss the beach, my kids miss the beach. Guess what? We’re doing just fine. The beach will be there when this is over. Wesley Barnett | via Facebook

Unbelievable how people in fear will bow down to the government and allow their rights to be trampled on. TWO MONTHS into a pandemic and now they’re tightening the noose? Wake up, people. This is not about our safety or health. It’s about power and control. Robin Shaw | via Facebook

The beaches being shut down is due to the fact that many people think the rules apply to everyone but them. It is not OK for them to put the community at risk. Tim Bridler | via Facebook

Step on the Brakes

It’s going to be a boring summer! Safe, but no events (“Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, centerpiece of Car Week, cancels 2020 event,” posted April 23). Catrina Coyle | via Facebook

Thank God! Concourse d’Arrogánce is literally the epitome of what’s wrong with our society and our community should stop supporting this 1 Percent event. More now, than ever before! Will Larkin | via Facebook

Real residents hate Car Week anyway. It only appeals to transplants and tourists. Thomas Michael Chavarria | via Facebook

I loved looking at all the cars, both exotic and just different. I’m sad for the lost revenue. You can’t live in a vacation destination and complain when tourists come! Cheryl Hunt-Capece | via Facebook

Until a vaccine or effective antivirals, totally expected. There’s no returning to full normal without these. Mass gatherings like this are frankly not going to happen. That’s the new normal.Art Fernandez | via Facebook

Shelter On

If the initial social distancing orders are working to limit the spread of this virus and keep its transmission rate low, then why are we being asked to put up with more restrictions? I feel like we are being punished for being successful (“Shelter-in-place will be extended, plus an order requiring face coverings is coming,” posted April 24). Stef Helbock Pummell | via Facebook

The economic pressure to open while balancing an acceptable level of Covid-19 death is the million-dollar question. Politicians stand at both sides of the spectrum and everything in between. Just because a politician says it’s time to open doesn’t mean the virus isn’t out there. The safest way to move into this new phase is to treat everyone as if they are an asymptomatic carrier and treat yourself as an asymptomatic carrier. On the Navy’s Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, 60 percent of the sailors who tested positive were asymptomatic. The cleverness of this virus lies in its ability to spread undercover. Steve McShane | Salinas

Your grandparents were called to war.

You’re being called to sit on your couch.

You can do this. Eric Tyle | Monterey

David vs. Goliath

These are the stories that we should be reading about! Small businesses not getting funding, and I’m not certain government representatives are concerned, unfortunately (“Small businesses get pushed aside by big players for Covid-19 relief cash,” April 23-27). Debby Hardee Beck | via Facebook

A Weekly Daily

I have clients in your area, and so I’ve been a reader of your paper for a while. I’ve always found it a good resource. The work you’ve been doing during Covid has been remarkable. Human. Informational. Honest. Today’s newsletter opening is what moved me to address this note of thanks and appreciation to you and your team (“Monterey County NOW,” sent April 26). Thank you for your work. Jonathan Yosef Magidovitch | Karmiel, Israel

Thanks for a sensible status of the mess. Linda Dorris | via email

Beautifully written piece (“Monterey County NOW,” sent April 23). Thank you for sharing your perception of our connectedness and the challenges, but also the champions during this uncertain time. Diane O’Hagan | via email

We have been getting Monterey County NOW since you started it. We were traveling in Arizona and it was our only connection to Monterey County news. We are home now and think that you still are the best thing going. Thank you. Jan Houser | Seaside

Healthy Healing

I have seen numerous patients with heart attacks and strokes who were so afraid of contracting the virus at the hospital that they stayed at home for days and by the time they came to the hospital, were extremely ill. My colleagues and I believe more patients in our community are dying from not receiving necessary emergency care than from the virus itself (“More people are waiting too long to get help with minor medical issues, with potentially tragic consequences,” posted April 23).

If you think you have a medical emergency, PLEASE come to the emergency department. The chance of dying from an untreated medical emergency is higher than the small chance of contracting coronavirus in the hospital. Nikolas Greenson | Aptos

Greenson is an emergency physician at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital.