No, Mr. Trump, the virus is not ‘foreign’
One of the unexpected expenses arising from the COVID-19 pandemic will be re-writing all medical textbooks.
When U.S. President Donald Trump declared COVID-19 a “foreign virus” we found out viruses have nationalities. Apparently COVID-19 is not American.
Who knew? Not any health professional I know.
Steve Dove, B.Sc. (Pharm)
Victoria
Fast-food servers need to be careful
I have been appalled at the lack of extra protocols being undertaken by fast-food establishments in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Granted, plastic gloves have always been used by food prep staff but those staff handling the dispensing of drinks are not using gloves even though these staff are handling payments in cash at the till.
Instead, they use the bare palm of their hand to press down on the top rim of the lids to the cups, right at the spot where the customer would be drinking.
Hoping the Ministry of Health will institute revised expectations for food (and drink) handling.
Kathie Martin
Saanich
Starvation is not that deadly
Re: “Millions are dying of starvation,” letter, March 11.
The correspondent thinks that our priorities are out of whack because we are overreacting to the COVID-19 pandemic, when “six million men, women and children die from starvation each day.”
Six million! Where does this number come from? A little mental arithmetic tells me that six million times 365 equals roughly 2.2 billion people per year. How could a world population of 7.5 billion maintain such a death level from starvation alone?
A bit of quick research will tell you that nine million people die from starvation per year. That’s about 26,600 per day; still an impressive figure, but only 0.45% of six million.
The letter ends, “Think before you react.” Good advice for all of us, I think.
Stephen Pierrot
Saanich
We aren’t losing a quarter a year
Re: “Millions are dying of starvation,” letter, March 11.
Yes, millions are dying of starvation. However, it’s estimated that nine million people die of hunger and related diseases per year, not six million people per day as the letter-writer states.
At that rate, over one-quarter of the world’s population would die every year.
David G. McIntosh, CPA, CA
Victoria
What about screening ferry passengers?
In light of the coronavirus calamity, I have been more than somewhat surprised that there has been no public comment — or B.C. or Victoria government comment — regarding the ongoing ferry service between the state of Washington, where the first large infection in the U.S. has taken place, and Victoria’s Inner Harbour.
One would think that at least some screening is mandatory at the points of departure of the Clipper in Seattle and the Coho in Port Angeles or here in Victoria.
Tim Ryan
James Bay
Trudeau takes from the veterans
Amazing that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has $1 billion to help the health-care and economy cope with the coronavirus, which is good, but the government was so strapped for cash that he took $1.4 million from Veteran Affairs.
I don’t get it.
Thomas Deveaux
Victoria
An upside to having agoraphobia
Perhaps the only bright spot with the coronavirus outbreak is that if you suffer from agoraphobia you have a good chance of not being a victim.
Bob Beckwith
Victoria
No right to put others at risk
Re: “Cruise-ship industry should not be targeted,” letter, March 12.
How disappointing to read the letter-writer blaming Dr. Bonnie Henry, the model of calm and reason during this time of confusion and misinformation, for “blowing up” his cruise vacation.
Unless he received a specific prohibition from her or anyone else not to go, he has the right do whatever he wishes.
We are not on lockdown here.
What I hear Henry and others saying is this: Know that if you put yourself in close quarters with large groups of people like on a cruise ship, there is a risk to your health.
Your decision, your choice. However, if you come back ill and do not govern yourself accordingly, you put other, possibly more vulnerable, people at risk. That, you do not have the right to do.
And for the record, the same risk exists on airplanes, concerts and other gathering places, and no one is saying otherwise.
Fran Hobbis
Victoria
Speaking of killers, what about alcohol?
I agree with that we must all be vigilant to media-driven hysteria around the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, a recent letter writer appears to have fallen victim to her own position. She notes that 4,000 suicide deaths occur in Canada each year and 3,500 Canadians die annually from influenza.
Yet she fails to mention the far bigger killer: Alcohol addiction and alcohol related illnesses take 15,000 lives each year in Canada.
Alcohol addiction rarely receives even a mention in the media and by politicians and health workers. Yet it takes twice as many lives than opioid overdoses and suicides combined.
Why is that?
Mary Kelly
Victoria
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