Find ways to contain COVID-19 hotspots while getting those less affected back to work

Find ways to get some back to work

President Trump and all elected officials need to look hard at how stay-at-home mandates are impacting folks needlessly.

The restrictions may be different in Mecklenburg County than in Iredell or Catawba County. Suffocating small business and encouraging owners to take assistance from the government should be a last resort, but we seem to be fine as a country amassing several trillion dollars worth of new debt, which is terrifying.

At some point, we or our offspring will have to answer for our spending. I would implore the government - from Trump, to Gov. Cooper, to Mayor Lyles - to look at finding ways to keep hotbeds of COVID-19 contained while allowing areas that do not have significant outbreaks to get back to work.

Trigg Cherry, Charlotte

I worry for friends, family in the US

I’m a 43-year resident of Charlotte who moved to Cartagena, Colombia on March 12 to retire. I’ve been confined in my apartment due to aggressive social distancing requirements. I opened the e-edition of the Observer Wednesday and first thing I saw was a photo of Gov. Roy Cooper and his staff at a press briefing. None of them were wearing masks.

The U.S. has 4.25% of the world’s population, but almost 28% of the reported coronavirus cases. What we have is a major failure of leadership at the national, state and local level. I fear for friends and family in the United States.

Please, start asking local and national leaders for answers.

Ivan Beach, Cartagena, Colombia

I want to clarify what CMS received

The writer chairs the State Board of Education.

Regarding “‘Why CMS was the only district excluded from additional COVID-19 funding,” (April 6):

In its initial article on COVID-19 public school funds, the Observer focused on only half of the $50 million COVID-19 funds for our public schools and failed to report that CMS received $2.4 million, the second largest amount in the state consistent with being the second largest school district in North Carolina.

Eric C. Davis, Charlotte

Rethink that hazard pay for police

Regarding “Coronavirus in Charlotte: Police group wants hazard pay,” (April 8):

Hazard pay for police? I think a very good argument can be made that a request like this is not unreasonable, but then consider we are a community, county, state, and country suffering with mass unemployment and mass deficit spending due to this pandemic. It’s a little disingenuous to ask for more when most people have so much less.

Norman Jameson, Charlotte

Help domestic violence survivors

Necessary social distancing measures, such as shelter-in-place restrictions, have led to an increase in domestic violence. Calls to domestic violence hotlines have risen 20-50%.

The N.C. legislative response to COVID-19 must include violence prevention funding to support shelters for domestic violence survivors. The state’s response package must also include funding that helps businesses support domestic violence survivors - e.g., funding hotel rooms for survivors or funding to help businesses implement a process for survivors to safely report their experience to the business and police.

At the federal level, N.C. Congressional representatives should support a fourth COVID-19 stimulus package to fund continued efforts to work towards the safety of survivors of domestic violence.

Rachel Siegal, Charlotte

Firing of Navy captain was justified

Regarding “Firing of Navy captain was wrong,” (April 8 Forum):

President Harry Truman fired Gen. Douglas MacArthur, a five-star general. U.S. Navy Capt. Brett Crozier should have expected no less. Why? He broke the cardinal rule of any military organization no matter the country; he went outside the chain of command. Do that, expect repercussions.

If allowed, especially by a high ranking officer, there would be dissension in the ranks often and everywhere.

Coy Powell, Charlotte

RN pay gap issue is complicated

Regarding “Virus highlights pay gap for women,” (April 7 Forum):

The writer is a semi-retired RN.

Things are not always what they seem on the surface. What Medscape and other studies have found is that male RNs are more likely to choose to work nights, weekends, or in less desirable specialties that pay better. They were also more likely to pick up overtime hours, if available. So the pay is skewed by this.

What I see now though are brave men and women working together to fight this pandemic.

Andrew Verville, Charlotte