Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

Thank you for printing Mr. Dan Landi’s letter on April 5.  I always find his writing provocative and interesting.  I agree with him that economics is important, and too often neglected when making public policy.  I appreciate that he’s interested in government and politics.  I think that’s important.  

I have lived in Missouri, the “show me” state, and wish to follow through and check on Mr. Landi’s evaluation of COVIT-19.  With the aid of the internet, I found the  Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.  The www site is health.mo.gov.  As of April 19, that shows 5807 cases, and 177 deaths, which, computes to a death rate of over 3%.  This is a much more serious public health risk than the flu.  It can be asymptomatic, which is a big word meaning we can infect others, even without showing any symptoms ourselves.

We should recognize that this is not another country’s problem, or ours.  Science knows no boundaries, and neither does coronavirus.  We should increase, not cut, funding for the World Health Organization.  We need to work with others, on what is indeed, a global problem.  

As individuals, we need to keep social distancing as much as we can, and should wear masks over our mouths and noses,

when we’re out in public among other people.  We need to keep as healthy as we can, in eating, sleeping, and exercising.  My wife and I did stretching and deep breathing exercises this morning.  I’ll take a walk later today.  I’ll have some poetry, and perhaps a psalm I’d like to learn.  This mask thing cramps my habit of making phone calls while I walk.  I’ll have to phone less often, or telephone at a different times.

John Keohane

Austin, Texas