Wednesday's letters: No shot mandate at hospitals, wasting tax dollars, complicated meters

Unfair to mandate COVID shots at hospitals

I just spent several days as a patient in Sarasota Memorial Hospital. I cannot say enough about the staff – top to bottom – professional, courteous and fully aware of the threat to their health working in the face of COVID.

While I agree that it is rather shortsighted to refuse vaccinations for this disease, imposing a mandate requiring health care workers to get a shot or be denied employment is draconian (“SMH reinstating vaccine requirement for workers,” Jan. 15).

As a business owner, early on we required either proof of vaccination or weekly testing, but we never threatened to fire a worker.

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And if Sarasota Memorial is so interested in protecting its patients (as well as staff), why not try imposing proof of vaccination – or proof of a negative test – on the visitors who come in unchallenged regarding their vaccination status? These visitors often crowd into the elevators with staff – or with patients who are being transported to or from testing.

Why not reserve at least two elevators for patient/staff transport?

The mandate punishes those who are on the front line helping the rest of us. According to the Herald-Tribune article, more than 1,000 Sarasota Memorial employees are likely to be affected. Will the mandate now make the numbers better?

Bob Grady, University Park

Require masks in state buildings

Last week I visited the local Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles office and was shocked to witness people entering the facility unmasked and staff, although behind plastic shields, wearing masks inappropriately.

With COVID rampant in Sarasota County, Gov. Ron DeSantis must issue a mask mandate, at least in government buildings.

We can’t get an accurate case count because testing is all but impossible to secure here. Lines at testing sites are extremely long and home tests are hard to find at drugstores. Citizens must wake up and politicians must stand up to prevent the spread.

Alan Janulis, Sarasota

Doctor, COVID victim: Get vaccinated

I am an elderly – I admit it – retired physician who has recently recovered from COVID. I was fully vaccinated, which may have kept me out of the hospital.

This was not a walk in the park. If I were still practicing I would strongly encourage full vaccination for my patients and their children.

Follow the science. Ignore the nonsense. You’re smarter than that.

This is not “mass hysteria,” as has been suggested. Your symptoms may be mild should you contract the virus, but don’t bet your life on it.

Wearing a mask indoors and taking other mitigating measures does help to decrease the spread of the virus. If we all follow the above, we could avoid hospitalizations and decrease the likelihood of further mutations.

You will get through this. Stay positive and stay well.

Ron A. Cooper, MD, Sarasota

Wasting money from child tax credit

The article, “Child tax credit expiration hits home,” published Jan. 15, was a sad reminder of the sense of waste and entitlement in this country.

The gentleman interviewed stated that he applied the $550 tax credit money toward the expenses of raising his two granddaughters. A noble gesture, indeed, that he and his wife adopted these girls because their own parents are unable to care for them.

However, these funds were intended to feed, clothe and house minor children during this time of economic hardship. Instead Grandpa allocated this money for luxuries like Girl Scouts and acting lessons. Now he is bemoaning the challenge of affording new shoes.

Instead of saving money for future necessary expenses, he’s whining about having to tighten his belt. I’m willing to bet my hard-earned tax dollars that this attitude is the norm and not the exception. Where does it end?

Blythe Hanson, Lakewood Ranch

Make parking meters less complicated

I totally agree with the Jan. 15 letter writer that paid parking in downtown Sarasota and also St. Armands Circle is needlessly complicated (“Frustrating, flawed parking system”).

To have to find a meter and put in all the information, including a credit card, is complicated, but then having to put in your license number as well is ridiculous. I happen to know my license number, but for a tourist who has a rental car it involves going back to the car and writing down the number and then returning to the meter.

This process is certainly not tourist friendly, and tourists probably make up the majority of visitors to these shopping areas. I’m sure the city makes a good amount of money from these complicated devices. There must be another way.

Jane S. Oaks, Longboat Key

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Don't force vaccine on health care workers, child tax credit misused