Letters: Government needs to get its tracers together; Students, teachers can share classrooms; Candidates, supporters wave to distract drivers

Auwe! I was under the impression that state officials, whether elected or appointed, had foremost on their minds the health and safety of the residents.

The coronavirus numbers are now triple digits and contact tracing makes even more sense now — not to blame individuals but to stop the spread.

The state Department of Health said it has enough tracers: 400 people from the John A. Burns School of Medicine ready to help. Yet the governor just said the other day that he could use the National Guard to assist. What happened to the 400, who I presume were already trained?

Never mind the politics or whatever game these officials are playing. The health of the people of this state is at risk. Let’s work together and get this under control or we’ll be one of those states on the mainland.

Sherrie Rupert

Wilhelmina Rise

Public ignores advice on masks, social distancing

Why am I not surprised that we have increasing cases of COVID-19?

Driving back home through Waikiki on our way back from shopping, we noticed the beaches were packed. Especially the area around the Kapahulu groin: super packed, tents everywhere, crowds watching volleyball and only a handful of people wearing masks or social distancing.

They should be fined for not following the health department guidance. The governor, mayor and other officials in charge should come down and see for themselves. People are not following their advice.

Gary Nakanishi

Kaimuki

Enforce rules with quarantine penalties

Once again our government leaders are going to punish everyone because of the few who do not follow the rules. Do we prevent everyone from driving because a few drive under the influence or speed excessively? No, because the consequences for being caught is high and when caught, the rules are enforced.

The same should apply to all of those who do not follow the rules for COVID-19. And to enforce these rules, there must be consequences. Why not make the consequences for breaking these rules the same as for those breaking the 14-day quarantine: $5,000 and/or imprisonment?

Gail Hedani

Makiki

Don’t let schools gamble with children’s lives

When we cry over the inhumanity of caging immigrant children, how then can we remorselessly send our children to school now in the time of COVID-19?

Desperate immigrant parents beg for their children. But less-encumbered parents not targeted by bigotry are willing to throw their beloved progeny to the vagaries of pandemic? They not only risk the lives of their children, but simultaneously risk themselves and their extended family to viral horror.

Sending children to school during a pandemic would invite contagion. All it takes is one. A single infected child could literally bring all of the best-laid plans for opening a school to a sudden, inescapable halt.

Keeping them home and taught by their teachers via computer would keep them from harm’s way.

It is a gamble otherwise. How could the stakes be higher?

Alan Isbell

Wailuku

Students, teachers can share classrooms

I would like to suggest how K-12 schools might navigate open, safe schools.

Distance-learning options include sharing classrooms through a large screen, which classrooms may already have for video viewing. Two classes with two teachers may interact one with another and teachers with students with this type of sharing. Students remain at their desks in their classroom, but they can talk to both teachers and the other classroom in a mix of in-person and screen time.

Secondly, many schools have large outdoor spaces that can be used as teaching spaces in a safe manner if a canopy is provided. A classroom may be split between a teacher and an aide and take turns for indoor and outdoor learning.

The basic goal is to continue following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines while schools are in operation.

Jean E. Rosenfeld

Downtown Honolulu

Wearing a mask isn’t the ultimate sacrifice

For those who believe being required to wear a mask is an infringement on your freedom and a violation of your constitutional rights, I would like to offer another perspective.

The Kawamura Gate of the Wheeler Army Airfield is named after a fellow Leilehua High School graduate, Terry Kawamura. While serving in the Vietnam War, Army Cpl. Terry Kawamura threw himself on a live grenade to save the lives of his fellow soldiers. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary selfless act.

Terry along with countless other servicemen and women made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedom and our Constitution. Wearing a mask is hardly a sacrifice to protect the person next to you who just might be a soldier.

Dan Nakasone

Wahiawa

Candidates, supporters wave to distract drivers

Voting time is just around the corner. Know how I can tell? All the candidates and their supporters are trying their very, very best to distract drivers by hopping up and down with their signs along the most-traveled routes possible, so there are thousands of vehicles to distract with their signs. The more the merrier.

Pau hana time is the best time to distract all those drivers. Vote for me! Vote for me! I’m voting for the one with common sense who will advocate safe driving. I have heard of cops giving tickets for distracted driving. What about distracting drivers?

All the signs serve as distractions and the signs left behind serve as nothing but litter. What right do these campaigners have to endanger my life and others by going out of their way to distract drivers? Someone’s got to die first before someone figures it out.

Lane Gammill

Mountain View

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