Humanity: The finest elixir money can’t buy
I would like to send my heartfelt thank you to the Kona Community Hospital for its ongoing COVID-19 work. In particular, I’d like to give a “shout-out” to recognize their vaccination efforts, which brings much-needed hope to our Big Island community.
It should be understood that this vaccination effort consisted not only of Kona Community Hospital staff, but also members of our Hawaii National Guard, volunteers, and many other behind the scene entities. Yes, a total team effort that is making a really big difference for us all.
My wife and I recently completed our second COVID-19 vaccination shot at the Kekuaokalani Gymnasium, and the process took a grand total of 40 minutes. That was from the very beginning where we were standing in a socially distanced line, to the very end where we sat socially distanced for the 15-minute post vaccination observation period. I was impressed, it brought tears to my eyes watching people being there working, helping, caring for others. Humanity. The finest elixir money can’t buy.
For me, it was like being able to breathe again after my first vaccination shot. The feeling of holding one’s breath for a whole year, hoping you don’t fall ill and end up in the hospital, was removed in one fell swoop. Don’t get me wrong, I still mask up, wash my hands, use hand sanitizer when available, so as to maintain a full court press against the COVID-19 virus. I owe it to those who haven’t been able to get their vaccination shots yet. But they can rest assured knowing that Kona Community Hospital and others will be there for them when it’s their turn to get vaccinated.
Mark Norman
Holualoa
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Paranoid much?
This is in response to Tom Beach’s My Turn opinion column published Tuesday. Since he said we now have the chance to speak up, let me do so. My first reaction was — Paranoid much, Tom? I have studied a lot about Nazi Germany, I have visited the evil concentration camps and in my own opinion your reaction to Safe Travel cards in no way resembles what happened in Germany in 1933 to 1945. Our government officials are trying to keep all of us safe and carefully reopen Hawaii to tourism, our main economic engine.
I was born in 1945. At that time, our mother’s greatest fear was that we would contract polio. I was a polio pioneer, one of the young kids that the scientists tested the vaccine on. If you got polio and didn’t die you could become disabled for the rest of your life. The vaccine was well received and that disease has been eliminated in the United States and most of the world. What about smallpox? It is estimated that smallpox was responsible for 300 million 500 million deaths. Tom, I bet that you got that vaccine when you were born and your parents didn’t blink an eye.
I am feeling very grateful that I have received my two Pfizer jabs and very pleased that modern science is trying to bring us out of this deadly pandemic. I would even wear a Scarlet P on my chest if makes it easier to travel and keep others safe.
Marian Hughes
Waimea
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Make it right!
The operation of the contract Post Office at Keauhou is critical to the community. I received mail there for over 15 years while a Kona resident.
For several years, I was a renter who moved frequently as leases ended. My post office box address provided consistency for my magazines, credit cards and other bills, and personal letters.
The Keauhou Post Office provides an alternative to the often crowded downtown Post Office for sending mail regardless of where one receives their mail.
Also, there are areas without home delivery that rely on a Post Office address.
Make it right!
Laurel Muehlhausen
Pawleys Island, South Carolina
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Get your thoughts straight
Mr. Hugo von Platen Luder can’t seem to make up his mind. Government shouldn’t be allowed to set rules during a once in a hundred year pandemic, where the rules have keep us somewhat safe as we waited for vaccines to emerge. Masks and distancing were necessary, as well as some lockdowns because we didn’t want to overwhelm our medical systems.
But he says, government should be setting prices for the free market like gasoline and meals and have a role in restocking our goods. I don’t always agree with Capitalism but government setting prices is not a solution to helping businesses. Businesses charge based on their costs and what the market will endure, not what the public sector will endure.
So, Mr. Hugo, maybe get your thoughts straight before you inflict your opinions upon us and decide if you want government or not.
Stan Chraminski
Kona
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