For most vulnerable, we have to do better Montana
This is an open letter to those community members, business owners and especially, elected leaders who are ignoring the recommendations and regulations of our state’s public health experts.
The greatest burden of sacrifice during this public health crisis is being placed upon:
• Our health care professionals, teachers and other frontline workers who daily risk their own health to care for and serve the rest of us;
• Our kids are aren’t getting the education they deserve;
• Our seniors who are cut off from their loved ones and in some cases are dying alone;
• Our Native American and Black neighbors who are disproportionately getting sick.
Local and state public health experts have trained their entire lives to understand diseases like COVID. And across the globe, they have learned a lot about this disease since it first emerged last
winter. Locally, and now at the state level, they have put in place proven measures to help flatten the exponential rise in cases across the state.
The implementation of these measures will have an economic impact, which will add to the list of those bearing the greatest burden of sacrifice in this crisis. The sooner we all act – as we did last spring – to stop the uncontrolled spread of COVID and provide financial support to those in need, the better.
Those who refuse to mask up, practice social distancing and avoid gatherings are failing this community. The elected officials who refuse to lead by example, follow proven public measures and take action to provide relief to those most impacted are failing our state.
We have to do better, Montana. Our individual actions have an impact that ripples across this state. Let’s all please act as if our neighbors matter to us.
Barb Cestero
Bozeman
Please do your part to thwart virus, wear a mask
I recently came out of two weeks of quarantine and had some errands to run. The first business I went into only one out of the four employees, in the front area, were wearing masks when I initially walked in.
On my walk back home I started to look into downtown businesses as I passed them and noticed a quarter to a third had a very similar situation going on, no masks. In the past month and a half, I have only been able to work one week and a few days due to one possible COVID exposure after another. With the work I do it is impossible to social distance, but I always wear a mask and require my clients do so as well.
Thus far I have not gotten sick or tested positive for COVID. I was shocked but what I was seeing downtown and assumed there where better business practices going on, especially considering there is a mask mandate. Wearing a mask is one of the easiest ways we can combat COVID.
Businesses and individuals who are choosing to not wear masks right now should take a moment to consider the strain and stress our local health care system and workers are under, as well as those of us with livelihoods that are being impacted by such high community spread of COVID. Please do your part.
Rachel Esbjornson
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letters to the Editor 11/26/20