Letter to the Editor: Stay home and wear a mask
Per your story about Sam Wilbanks, I was saddened to learn that he and some of his family members contracted COVID recently. It must have been a terribly stressful couple weeks while they struggled through the illnesses. But, thankfully, Mr. Wilbanks and his family appear to have weathered the storm. I wish them all the best.
However, blaming Plumas County Public Health officials, and even county supervisors, for his misfortune boggles the mind. The fact is, guidance from local and state public health experts, and (except for a few glaring exceptions) from federal officials, has consistently been to stay home, wear a mask in public, wash your hands very frequently, and avoid gatherings of more than a few people, especially when indoors. Oh, and don’t travel unless absolutely necessary —again, STAY HOME.
And these advisories/lockdowns have been in effect for nine months! How many times do public health officials need to reiterate their pleas to stay home and away from groups of people?
Mr Wilbanks concedes that his daughter traveled by air from Texas to Reno for the Thanksgiving weekend and that such travel was discouraged by health authorities. He also apparently admits that about a dozen people went Christmas tree hunting with him, followed by a group dinner. It speaks for itself.
This pandemic is being grossly lengthened and deepened by people who are not abiding by the guidelines of public health experts. Not to disparage the efforts of our public health workers (thank you all), but this isn’t rocket science. Stay home. Wear a mask whenever in public. Wash your damn hands. Avoid groups of people, especially in a confined space.
Stay safe,
Neil Dion
Clio, CA