Pick up the pace
The Mills police state must end.
I believe the governor’s labyrinth of confusing dictates to “re-open” the economy defies science, common sense and treads on the Constitution.
Quite frankly, I think her unnecessary restrictions will end the livelihoods of Mainers who depend on the tourist trade to survive.
The governor needs to pick up the pace.
Doc Wallace
Rockport
Thanking health care heroes with action
Everywhere you go there are signs, sometimes painted with rainbows and flowers, sometimes sprayed with sparkles and festooned with flags or ribbons: Thank you to our healthcare workers, heroes work here, we love our nurses. On the radio, news broadcasters incorporate thank yous in between songs and advertisements. And social media is abuzz with appreciation.
Gratitude is breathing in our small towns of Maine, and it is powerful. However, I am writing this contribution because although thank yous are beautiful and greatly needed, they are not enough. Our healthcare workers need protective equipment and supplies, and they also need student loan forgiveness.
My sister graduated from the University of Maine in December along with her amazing class of fellow students. The class graduated with pride, ready to give and to care, and they also graduated with extensive student loan debt. They are now working hard in our local hospitals to protect our families, to keep us safe. We owe it to them to give our thank yous in doing. This could mean many things. It could mean making a phone call to our senators and asking them to petition the federal government for student loan forgiveness for our heroes. We must “thank you” in doing.
The other day, I watched a video of two healthcare workers in Spain dancing with a patient who has COVID-19. They danced slow, they danced strong, they danced care, they danced love, together. Our health care workers need us as much as we need them. So thank them, in doing.
Please call your senators today to petition the federal government to forgive student loan debt for our nurses and doctors!
Theresa Farrell
Blue Hill
The truth about PPE in Maine
In a recent campaign ad, Sara Gideon states that Maine hospitals are lacking personal protective equipment (PPE) and that doctors and nurses are at risk. She states that the PPE should be supplied by the federal government and she strongly implies that the lack of sufficient PPE in Maine is Sen. Susan Collins’ fault.
Based on an article in the Bangor Daily News, dated April 23, it seems to me that Gideon’s claims are false. James Jarvis, incident commander for Northern Light Health told the paper that Northern Light Health facilities have enough personal protective gear. Many Maine hospitals also have more critical care beds and ventilators available than before the pandemic began, according to the article.
Nirav Shah, the director of the Maine CDC, said in the same article that on a statewide level, Maine had nearly 180,000 tight-fitting N95 masks available in its inventory as of April 22 and that about 14,000 masks were being shipped out to health care organizations that day. Providers were getting the masks “as they need them,” according to the article.
I just cannot understand why Gideon’s self-serving fear-mongering is allowed to continue and be repeated as fact. Especially as a legislative leader, it’s a great disservice to the people of Maine, who deserve to know the truth about resources available in our communities to combat this pandemic.
Cynthia Smith
Old Town