Viewpoints: What Does It Say When A State’s Leader Gets COVID?; No Time To Ease Up On Wearing Masks
Opinion writers weigh in on these public health issues and others.
St. Louis Post Dispatch:
When The Leader Of Missouri's Pandemic Policy Falls Victim, The Policy Is A Failure.
Gov. Mike Parson’s campaign manager reacted with outrage on Twitter at journalists who reported that Parson and his wife had tested positive for the coronavirus while also noting Parson’s record of waffling about wearing what he calls those “dang masks.” Campaign manager Steele Shippy posted photos of Parson wearing masks to contend that the governor was “leading by example.” But there’s no escaping the simple facts of the other way Parson has led by example: He has embraced the politicization of mask-wearing and encouraged the attitude of conservative defiance that has helped the pandemic flourish across Missouri. This was his policy, and policies — like elections — have consequences. Missourians should take full measure of Parson’s efforts to beat back this pandemic. If this is his idea of a successful policy, we shudder to think what failure looks like. The coronavirus daily new infection numbers keep climbing and climbing to the point that Missouri holds pariah status as a national coronavirus hotspot. In no one’s book can this be termed a success. (9/24)
Arizona Republic:
For Shame, Scottsdale. Now Is Not The Time To Ease Up On Masks
What the heck, Scottsdale? We are inching ever closer to getting COVID-19 under control, to getting the kids back in school and getting our lives back on track. Health experts have asked us, they've told us, they've outright begged us to wear masks while in enclosed spaces where keeping your distance isn’t possible. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield has said that research clearly shows that wearing a mask is the single best thing we can do right now to block the spread of infection. (Laurie Roberts, 9/24)
Chicago Tribune:
Illinois COVID-19 Response Is Failing People With Disabilities
This summer’s tragedies overshadowed the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in July, but Illinois did recognize the event virtually with speeches from state dignitaries and performances from artists with disabilities. Despite the brief celebratory spirit, though, a failure of state and local government to protect people with disabilities in the response to the coronavirus pandemic has dampened any sense of progress. The U.S. declared COVID-19 a public health emergency in January, and, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, “People with disabilities should not be put at the end of the line for health care during emergencies.” Nonetheless, Illinois' state agency responses to COVID-19 are not living up to their promise to protect the lives of people with disabilities. Months after the pandemic started, there remains no clear plan for how people with disabilities or their attendants might effectively access personal protective equipment. (Laura Vanpuymbrouck and Kira Meskin, 9/24)
Des Moines Register:
Vote To Return Decency And Fair Play To The President's Office
This piece isn't about Trump's policies. Leadership, has many aspects, both of form and substance. America is staggering under the weight of the 200,000 lives lost to COVID-19; our rate of infection is among the world's highest. How can this be, with our vast resources, scientific sophistication and ability to rapidly mobilize? In a word, denial. Specifically, the president’s. (Rekha Basu, 9/24)
The Oklahoman:
Flu Shot More Important Than Ever This Year
The shutdowns that were part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to fewer U.S. school children getting their vaccinations. Let’s hope a similar pattern doesn’t accompany the arrival of flu season. Although much of the country has reopened, the novel coronavirus could complicate things regarding the flu shot. USA Today wrote this week about people on social media incorrectly conflating the shot with a potential vaccine for COVID-19. (9/25)
Los Angeles Times:
Fire-Prone Brush Is No Place For Homeless People To Camp
Homeless encampments are grim fixtures in Los Angeles. There isn’t enough housing and shelter for a homeless population that has increased by 16% in the city over the last year. And with a pandemic still raging, city officials have let encampments stay put (for the most part) lest homeless people contract or spread COVID-19 by being shooed from one location to another. But another grim reality in Los Angeles is fire. And that is the one reason — notwithstanding the above concerns — to move homeless people out of encampments in brush areas and wooded parks. There has been an astonishing 80% uptick in fires involving homeless people so far this year, over the same time period in 2019. (9/25)
Los Angeles Times:
Goodbye And Good Riddance To Gas-Powered Cars
California has made it official: This is the beginning of the end of the gasoline-powered car. For the health of the state and the planet, the demise of the tailpipe can’t come soon enough. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Wednesday requiring that all new cars and light pickup trucks sold in California in 2035 be zero-emission vehicles. That will be a huge market shift. Only about 8% of vehicles sold in California last year were electric or plug-in hybrid models. Zero-emission vehicles still only make up a small fraction of the cars on the road. (9/23)
