Atrium, Novant spoke volumes when they put too few COVID-19 test sites in at-risk areas

Hospitals showed deadly indifference

Regarding “Atrium, Novant criticized over COVID-19 test sites,” (May 10):

What those execs from Atrium and Novant forgot to say in their slick talking points about why only two test sites targeted Charlotte’s most vulnerable neighborhoods: We don’t care, because we don’t have to.

Opaque and unaccountable, they are spinning hard on thin ice - not straight-out lies, but not quite straight-up truth either.

Corrine Mack nailed it in her pointed observation: “You can talk all day, but your actions say that you don’t really care.”

I have to wonder: If they are willing to indulge in such deadly indifference in the face of COVID-19, is there any ethical standard too low for these so-called “not-for-profits” - on any front?

Terry Taylor-Allen, Charlotte

Want workers back? Tackle larger issues.

Regarding “The right move on jobless benefits,” (May 10 Forum):

I find it depressing and ironic that with so many people suddenly out of work, some people are unhappy that unemployed people are receiving $600 a week in jobless benefits for a few months.

Can those who are well paid, able to work remotely, and who often support tax cuts and benefits for business, just be grateful that for a few months some fellow citizens won’t just be getting $350 a week to live on?

As for companies trying get employees to return, a lack of childcare and fear for their health and safety may be keeping more people from returning than extra unemployment benefits are. Let’s tackle those problems rather than further punishing those who are out of work.

Mary S. Stokes, Charlotte

Lessons learned for the future

It is instructive to examine the reactions of the United Kingdom, France and Germany to the virus. The UK’s and France’s per-capita death rates are about 4-5 times larger than Germany’s even though the geographically close nations have similar wealth, resources and virus exposure. The answer lies to a great extent in each of their reactions to the pandemic.

Germany reacted early by instituting social distancing, extensive testing, contact tracing, and providing aggressive medical assistance to those with emerging symptoms. The UK and France responded less aggressively.

The U.S. clearly also missed opportunities to prevent a regrettable spread of the disease for a host of reasons. One can only hope that we have learned lessons for the future. Having the largest death toll in the world is not a metric worthy of pride.

Jim Ragaini, Charlotte

Something terribly unfair about testing

Regarding “White House aides test positive for coronavirus,” (May 8):

It seems totally unfair that so many people wait on long lines to get tested or can’t get tested because there are not enough test kits, yet President Trump and some on his White House staff are being tested daily. And receiving the results in 15 minutes. Something is terribly unfair here.

Lorraine Stark, Matthews

Don’t decimate the postal service

President Trump has threatened to veto anything that helps the U.S. Postal Service. It is very difficult to understand how an institution that has been functioning since Ben Franklin is irrelevant and without merit. We all utilize and depend on the post office, it delivers our tax refund and our Social Security checks. It handles our daily correspondence and our bills and the payment. It has been our primary means of transactions and communication.

How one person feels as though he speaks for 328 million escapes me. Demand a vote of all the members of an electorate before acting on the postal service. No action without approval from those who will be impacted the most, us!

Douglas Sherrow, Mint Hill

Yard waste plan was a bad idea

The notion that the City of Charlotte could pick up all yard waste in a short time span versus leaving the weekly schedules alone has proven to be a terrible idea.

I live in south Charlotte. I put my yard waste out, as requested, almost two weeks ago and it still hasn’t been picked up. Trucks were actually here when scheduled, but didn’t finish my entire neighborhood, nor have they returned.

On Friday, CharMeck 311 told me there is no confirmed end date, which means many homes will be waiting for several more weeks until this huge task is completed.

Whoever proposed this scheme should be on a truck, helping the hard-working people going around the city.

Jon Schuller, Charlotte

This story was originally published May 11, 2020 at 3:20 PM.