The real enemy is COVID-19, virus deniers

It seems that Anita Perry unwittingly minimized the impact of COVID-19 in her open letter to the governor.  Since Perry penned her open letter, tragically  nine  more COVID-19 deaths are listed as of December 19 in Bonner County, bringing the total to 13 in  2020. The 13 deaths in nine months surpasses the death rate in Bonner County from the common flu. In 2019-2020 there were nine seasonal flu deaths in the entire five northern counties of the Panhandle Health District.  She also missed the mark on the rate of hospitalizations.  Panhandle Health reports 61 currently hospitalized and a total of 572 since the beginning of the pandemic for the district. So much for the NIMBY argument Perry presents that amounts to "we are OK here so leave us alone" used to minimize the risks.

The fatality rate for COVID-19 is higher than with the seasonal flu. No immunity and limited vaccine available for the COVID-19 virus. No clinically validated "cure." The real tyranny is from the COVID-19 virus and from those that continue to deny, minimize and rationalize their choices to not follow health guidelines. We have the inalienable right to not be put at risk by those that willfully ignore social distancing, mask guidelines, hand washing, disinfecting or limiting gatherings, all intended to keep us all safe. COVID-19 is putting the brakes on the economy, so why not put effort into limiting the community spread instead of blaming a political scapegoat? 

JON QUINN-HURST

Priest River