I am a retired anesthesiologist, and I would like to ask the public to practice social distancing.
Anesthesia workers have the highest rate of contracting the coronavirus of any health care providers.
There is inadequate testing for the virus, not enough protective equipment for my friends, and limited ventilators. The best tool we have to prevent new cases is staying away from other people. The more infected people, the more we lose our health care providers.
When you become very ill you expect emergency treatment. The sickest corona patients frequently require a breathing tube to be placed by an anesthesiologist or other trained physicians. This is the primary cause of our acquisition of the virus. Without these physicians or without enough ventilators, the results are obvious. A death by respiratory failure is truly awful.
Protect these heroes and the heroic medical personnel who want to be there for you. You must do your part and maintain separation from others. Let the viral epidemiologists - and not the politicians - decide when socialization is safe.
Gary Smith, Signal Mountain
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Can Democrats give politics a rest now?
Would it be asking too much to request the Democrats and their lapdog media friends tone down the scare tactics and politics for two months until we get through this pandemic?
ow is a time to join hands (no, we can't do that but join hearts as fellow human beings) to fight this virus.
There is sufficient time before the election to go back to bashing President Trump, reviving our economy and promoting Sleepy Joe.
Jeff Wilson, Collegedale
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Capitalism's benefits overblown in column
I usually don't write letters to the editor, but Jay Ambrose's recent commentary, "Capitalism to the Rescue," on the Free Press editorial page struck a note of incredulity.
As a physician for the last 40 years, I have seen many improvements in public health during that time, but the major improvements came in the early 20th century. Those were efforts to improve sanitation - sewers instead of outhouses or open guttters, safe public water, public education and many others. Then there were advances in health care - immunizations, medications, hospitals - none of which were for-profit.
I seem to remember from my history classes that abolishing child labor, the 40-hour, five-day work week, improved worker safety, etc., were the result of union organizing activity forcing corporations to treat workers fairly.
Then came increased government regulation to protect the public - food safety, product safety, environmental protections (clean air and water). It seems that, in reality, unfettered capitalism has resulted in many, many problems that the community, represented by the government, has had to step up and regulate to protect the common good.
If Ambrose were just to read a recent paper, he would find an example of that unfettered capitalism. There is a story about how the government 10 years ago wanted to help develop a less expensive ventilator to have stockpiled in the tens of thousands. It contracted with a small innovative company to develop it. Before that could happen, a large corporation that manufactured traditional, expensive ventilators bought the company and killed the effort.
That is how unfettered capitalism works.
Lemuel Arnold, LaFayette, Georgia
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Beware 'projections,' 'models,' on COVID-19
"The worst flu in four decades killed 80,000 Americans. Now experts predict COVID-19 could take the lives of 81,000 to 2.2 million Americans." -The Heritage Foundation in The Daily Signal.
As a math major with considerable experience in the use of models to project an outcome, I am deeply troubled by the indiscriminate proclamations being made by "experts." The data being used to feed the models is, at best, insufficient.
And, the models themselves contain assumptions yet to be proved and refined. Despite this, we are treating the projections as fact and using them to guide our policies.
Mike Budnick, Winchester
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Don't use 'liar' label without proof
I object to Dahleen Glanton's commentary, "The media shouldn't muzzle Trump during COVID-19 crisis - no matter his lies and ineptitude," on the Chattanooga Times editorial page, in which she calls Trump a liar. She just insinuates and gives no examples.
Trump has assembled a task force of experts, which includes the surgeon general. He has reversed himself based on their advice.
I do not believe Glanton has the right to call Trump, or any other person, a liar, without specific proof. Without this proof, I would label Glanton's article as "classic fake news."
Dr. Tom Herzog, East Ridge
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Use an axe on the U.S. military budget
As it becomes very apparent that the biggest threats to our country do not include military aggression, and as we likely enter a depression, it is time to evaluate the role of our military.
What are we getting for $750 billion annually? What have the armed forces accomplished in the last 70 years? Was it necessary to bail out the defense contractors? As we adjust our budgets, this is the place to start. We have infinitely better ways to spend our tax dollars!
Tom Peck
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Gov. Cuomo sets standard for info
New York state now has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the United States.
Every day at 11:30 a.m., the governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, hosts a news conference. If you have not had the opportunity to watch one of these, I highly recommend that you do so.
His news conferences are highly informative and filled with facts and data. His explanations are concise, articulate and easy to understand.
It is obvious that he has done his homework and retains what he has learned. When he gives his opinion, he always prefaces it by saying this is my opinion and not a fact. In addition, he is always respectful of the reporters who are there to cover his news conferences.
In short, if you watch Gov. Cuomo's news conferences, you will be informed and see a master communicator at work.
Jim Olson
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Reader appreciates TFP opinion diversity
Thank you for publishing the Rants column. I look forward to it every Sunday.
I think there might be a solution to a reader's recent disapproval of the column. Why not also publish a "Raves" column? It would not only be of interest but also an open forum for well-deserved kudos.
I also appreciate the two editorial pages in the Times Free Press that work both sides of the aisle.
Dorma Pomeroy
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Trump sacrificing lives for votes
This coronavirus is not like deaths from the annual flu or car accidents, and I am disgusted with the people who think it is.
There is a vaccine for influenza, and people make a decision as to how sick they want to be.
There are laws and vehicle safety measures to prevent traffic deaths.
Little is known about COVID-19 except that Wuhan, China, seems to be recovering following a total lockdown.
President Donald Trump did little to nothing to protect America from an obviously dangerous and lethal threat. He has created a perfect storm by discrediting experts and sowing discord during his time in office.
Now he asks us to sacrifice our lives and those of our families to rescue the economy so that he can tout recovery and win re-election. For many young adults this will be a gamble to go back to flipping burgers for minimum wage and no benefits.
Sandra Rice, Sewanee