Regarding Congressman Tom McClintock's Christmas Eve guest column in the Sierra Sun, "The only relief from lockdowns is to end them" (Dec 24). Our local paper, the Sierra Sun, did a disservice by publishing this anti-science screed without adding a "contains deadly misinformation" warning.
The only relief from lockdowns is to end them... Using this logic, the only relief from lung cancer is to smoke cigarettes, the only relief from brain injury is to ride without a helmet, and the only relief from STDs or unwanted pregnancy is to not use a condom.
The only relief from ignorance is to ignore the likes of Tom McClintock.
Across the state, across the nation, COVID cases and deaths are spiking. Hospital ICUs are past capacity. Why? Because people listened to non-science from non-experts. They travelled and gathered over Thanksgiving week – which led, ironically, to the current Christmas through New Years' lockdown in Truckee-Tahoe that's hurting the local economy.
At this moment in time -- with California hospital ICUs beyond their capacity to handle life-threatening COVID cases, and with vaccines already being administered – our U.S. Congressman, tone-deaf Tom McClintock, seizes the moment to second-guess lockdowns and advise against caution.
The "American people need their freedom back," he says, not reading the room. Freedom, as in freedom to inadvertently kill each other. Yes, some of you are going to die, but that's inevitable, and necessary for the economy, necessary for freedom.
Ah, such comforting, inspiring words from the brave leader, spoken with the courage of someone with no real skin in the COVID risk game -- someone not a teacher, bank teller, grocer, delivery worker, or health care worker -- someone with immediate access to exceptional health care.
Yes, businesses shuttering and people losing work is unsettling and heartbreaking. As bad as that is, people taking unnecessary, avoidable risks when we're so close to a cure is much more tragic.
For instance, Duane. A living acquaintance, until this week. His brother Barry couldn't wear a mask at their L.A. machine shop, or hardly anywhere for that matter.
Barry mocked COVID, laughed about it, held a birthday party wearing an "I survived COVID t-shirt." He held a Halloween party, and then a Christmas party. These were all mask-optional celebrations based on the social media posts we saw. Not surprisingly, Barry caught COVID. Duane caught it too. After several weeks in the ICU, Duane died of COVID complications. Alone. At time of this writing, Barry remains hospitalized, struggling to survive.
Have the common sense to believe the facts that could save your life, or that of someone you love. Protect yourself. Ignore the discredited COVID truth-manipulators serving a personal agenda.
To put it bluntly, Tom McClintock is a certified dumbass. Don't be like him. Follow the established, accepted, proven, science-based safeguards at cdc.gov. Hunker down a bit longer until it's your turn for the vaccine.