letter to the editor

Published
March 20, 2020

Letter to the editor: Maine has acted belatedly in response to coronavirus

Maine people are making “closing the barn door after the horse” errors that countries, President Trump and states have made, minimizing and acting belatedly. A Cape Elizabeth parental update (reported in the Press Herald) wrongly stated “… this is not a virus that we can contain by quarantining.” That’s the purpose of quarantining: to limit […]
Published
March 20, 2020

Letter to the editor: Wear masks to prevent COVID-19 transmission

As all of us look for ways to deal with COVID-19, which is now obviously prevalent and spreading by community transmission, I found it shocking that while at Hannaford the other day I was only one of three people wearing a mask. I work for a multinational corporation and had the benefit of a virtual […]
Published
March 20, 2020

Letter to the editor: Virus spotlights holes in U.S. health care system

'Many people do not seek care as they lack health insurance and/or a primary care provider.' It's time for universal care.
Published
March 19, 2020

Letter to the editor: City should set up fund for firms hit hard by virus

A large part of Portland’s business community runs on a “gig” economy. Bars, restaurants and entertainment venues represent a substantial portion of the business done in Portland. With voluntary and mandatory closures of businesses underway, employees in this economy face an existential economic threat from the coronavirus, since they cannot work from home via computer. […]
Published
March 19, 2020

Letter to the editor: Crisis exposes major failing in U.S. health care system

If this COVID-19 health crisis hasn’t awakened us to the major failings of the U.S. health care system, I don’t know what will. While we can blame President Trump or the government for some of the lack of preparedness, a lot of blame has to fall on a broken system in which way too many […]

Published
March 19, 2020

Letter to the editor: Don’t allow virus to disrupt democracy in Maine

Maine citizens have historically enjoyed transparency, especially when it comes to politics. What has always been a rule of thumb here is our famous town hall meetings, and deep interest in face-to-face contact with our politicians and town officials. Now with the onslaught of coronavirus it is becoming increasingly difficult, maybe impossible, for many of […]
Published
March 19, 2020

Letter to the editor: Reconsider policy on Maine COVID-19 patients’ anonymity

Those who've had contact with them need to know whether they should talk to a doctor.
Published
March 18, 2020

Letter to the editor: Maine CDC lab is doing all it can to meet testing needs

I appreciate the concern that the anonymous doctor and patient expressed to columnist Bill Nemitz (March 15) about testing for COVID-19. We are working 24-7 to identify and implement ways to accelerate all of our work from prevention, detection, treatment and mitigation. The skilled and dedicated lab workers, epidemiologists and other staff at the Maine […]
Published
March 18, 2020

Letter to the editor: Help local businesses weather outbreak – buy gift certificates

As others have observed, we are all in this together. Portland’s many small businesses, and their owners and employees, will suffer no matter what we do. But perhaps we can soften the blow for some. If you have the resources, I suggest you ask your favorite store, restaurant, pub, hairstylist, etc., to sell you a […]
Published
March 18, 2020

Letter to the editor: To contain virus, state should share more data about patients

Coronavirus spreads across Maine. It has reached Lincoln and Knox counties. The state is not releasing names and towns of those testing positive. Having completely bungled confinement, government is now doing the one thing that can maximize fear, paranoia and panic – preventing people from assessing whether they may have crossed paths with a virus […]

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letter to the editor