All but essential services must be closed during crisis

My brother-in-law just drove through New York on March 21. There was no one on the roads, no one out, the throughways had only giant blinking signs saying “stay inside, stay alive” In New York. Surreal and ominous. He had quit his 30-year job leaving a $70,000 contract on the table and drove home.

They are taking the virus far more seriously than we are where people were still filling local restaurants until recently. We have (had?) the opportunity to have little effect if everyone will simply stay home for a few weeks. City leaders! make a hard stand! it’s better to be overcautious than under, better to be loved than liked. This community has a lot of old people vulnerable to the virus. Be better — please, shut all but essential services down.

LORI REID

Ponderay