To the Editor:
Re “Virus Wipes Out 5 Years of Economic Growth” (front page, July 31):
The Covid-19 virus is global, and the five years of wiped-out economic growth is solely U.S. economic growth. No other developed country has seen long-term economic consequences as drastic as we have. As the article points out, “data from Europe shows what might have been.” Government responses in Germany have “allowed a much stronger economic rebound in recent weeks.”
The difference is entirely attributable to the absence of a national coordinated response to the virus in the United States. A better headline would have been “Failure of National Leadership to Respond to Virus Wipes Out 5 Years of Economic Growth.”
Chuck Hardy
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
To the Editor:
Re “Despite Safeguards, a Misleading Video Goes Viral, With Help From the Trumps” (news article, July 29):
Is it not awful enough that Covid-19 has infected four million Americans and killed 150,000 of us?
Now, on top of an inept and confused response by the federal government and the president, such that the United States now leads the world in total cases, new cases and deaths, comes a disinformation video by “America’s Frontline Doctors” that promotes ineffective treatments for the virus. The video argues against the use of masks and undermines the work of first responders, true front-line care providers and public health workers who are daily risking their lives to help Americans infected with this virus.
Even worse: The president and his son tweet out this disinformation video to everyone who still listens to their sorry accounts.
You would think that the virus is doing its damage effectively right now, without needing the help of the Trump family to further increase the suffering and death of people across this country. But I guess that things can always be made worse.
Thomas Amatruda
Edina, Minn.
The writer is an oncologist.
To the Editor:
The Republicans want to, above all else, reopen business. They must know it is too soon to do that because the virus is not under control. So they also want to indemnify employers against claims of employees and their families that they were made ill or died because they were forced to go back to work because they couldn’t survive without a paycheck until the pandemic was brought under control.
Were it not for this kind of stupidity, we would have had this virus under control already as most of the rest of the industrialized world has done. We would be back at work and at school. Instead, Americans are still falling ill and dying at alarming rates while a president who is thrilled that he can pass a basic mental capacity test waged war with federal storm troopers in Portland and has just now decided to wear a mask. Sometimes.
We need to pass lifesaving and economy-saving financial aid to families, lock this country down until this virus is under control, make everybody wear masks and stop fooling around. Our country is at stake. And whatever you do, get a mail-in ballot and vote this reckless toddler out of office before he breaks the greatest democracy in the world.
Joanne Polvy Cohen
Sherman Oaks, Calif.
To the Editor:
My wife and I were tested 14 days ago at an urgent care center owned by a large medical group that has operations spanning several counties just north of the city. For two weeks, no results and no information as to when results would be available. Finally, we found out the results: negative.
The sign advertised results in three to five days. The care center blamed the lab, of course. Pointless? Methinks so.
Eric Ruppert
Pleasantville, N.Y.