Women are on the coronavirus front lines. Least we can do is pay them equitably.

Virus highlights pay gap for women

American women are on the front lines fighting coronavirus in our nation’s hospitals and nursing homes, yet earn less than their male counterparts. Equal Pay Day was March 31, meaning women have now caught up to men’s 2019 salaries. The Equal Rights Amendment can close the wage gap.

Women make up 91 percent of registered nurses. Males represent a fraction of the profession, yet earn an average $6,000 a year more, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Female doctors, too, fall behind their male counterparts. A Medscape report finds that female primary care doctors make 25 percent less than men.

Women are risking their very lives to save ours. The least we can do is pay them what they’ve earned.

Teri Walley, Gastonia

Let experts give treatment advice

Despite what President Trump said at the CDC, he does not have a “natural ability” for virology or medical research. He proves that daily during the political rallies he disguises as COVID-19 briefings.

Medical evidence is established by controlled studies, not hunches or because you “feel good about” something. He regularly mentions hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug that has only anecdotal use for COVID-19. I am a doctor. There is no reason for him to go on daily about something he knows nothing about. “What do we have to lose?” Well, some medications that work well for some diseases can make others worse. We possibly have lives to lose!

Let medical professionals decide what is appropriate treatment. Use that “natural ability” to find masks for health care professionals and ventilators for dying patients.

Dr. Joel Miller, Hickory

For Democrats this is all about 2020

The coronavirus rages while Majority Whip James Clyburn reportedly says on a call with fellow Democrats: “This is a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.” Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced yet another committee to oversee the Trump administration’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

This is all about the 2020 election as desperate Dems search for anything that could help them defeat President Trump.

Howard Honeycutt, Charlotte

Thanks for honoring selfless heroes

Thanks for Sunday’s Jack Ohman recognizing all the other selfless heroes who are quietly putting themselves out there to make society run in this terrible time. I retired from a career in public works and I was always sad to see the efforts of so many great folks, like those listed in the cartoon, forgotten in times of emergency. Thanks for remembering us.

Ralph S. Messera, Matthews

A double-standard on who gets fired

On Feb. 18, the acting chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, Tomas Philipson, stated publicly, “ I don’t think corona is as big a threat as people make it out to be.” He went on to say “in terms of the public health impact on the economy, I think that’s been exaggerated.”

Last Friday, the president informed congressional leaders that he had fired the intelligence community inspector general because he has “lost confidence” in him. If that’s the president’s applicable standard, why hasn’t he also fired the acting chair of his Council of Economic Advisers?

Dumont Clarke, Charlotte

An inadequate health care system

Heartfelt thanks to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina for waiving out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 care (April 2).

Will other insurers follow suit or will more insured people in North Carolinians go bankrupt because of medical bills?

Will insurers raise premiums 40% next year to cover these losses? And how will we pay for COVID-related illness for several hundred thousand working poor who are denied Medicaid because of Republican’s short-sighted resistance to expanding it here?

It’s time we wake up and realize how inadequate and cruel our free-market health care system is. Medicare for All can’t keep viruses out, but it certainly can improve our response to them.

Irene Kuriakose, Pinveville

It’s time for Sanders to step away

Bernie Sanders is an elected official who should know this, but maybe someone should remind him of the meaning of “down ballot?” Winning the White House means nothing if there are 100 Republican senators and 435 GOP representatives, not to mention 50 Republican-controlled legislatures.

There is no “me” in “Vote DJT out.”

Thank you for your service, Sen. Sanders. Be quick to endorse a running mate for Joe Biden.

Steve Craig, Charlotte