Kemp, Republicans forcing dangerous health risks on public
It seems Gov. Brian Kemp is being true to the “values” of “conservative” Trump-cult thinking and forcing dangerous health risks on the public by preventing local governments from taking common-sense public safety steps to stop disease. To what end? Is it the worship of the cult of idiocy which drives the Republicans these days or his/their warped “freedom” claims?
Excuse me, but there is no more “freedom” to endanger the public than to drive drunk, trash public or private property, or yell “fire” in a crowded theater! Yet, this is what GOP “conservatives” like Kemp, Ron DeSantis and Gregg Abbott are legitimizing with their forced lunacy on their coronavirus anti-mask screeds.
So-called “conservatives” are not only irrational but are a threat to both civilized democracy and public safety!
D.M. SMITH, ATHENS
Vaccine mandates will increase nursing shortage
In a recent front-page article in the AJC on the nursing shortage, “Resurgent COVID-19 cases, younger victims, angry patients driving exhausted health care professionals off front lines,” (News, Aug. 22), it noted Georgia has more than 10,000 unfilled nursing positions. Despite the shortage of nurses and other healthcare workers, most hospital systems in Georgia are mandating vaccines, a move that will likely force some workers -- maybe 20% to 30% -- to quit their jobs. Many have a scientific or religious objection to a vaccine that, until this week, was not yet FDA-approved.
I know how hard and expensive it is to find good employees, and we have CEOs of these large healthcare organizations making a conscious decision to eliminate up to 30% of their workforce.
I know two hospital workers who fully understand the risk of contracting COVID-19 and follow proper PPE (personal protective equipment) protocol. Their actions have proven, thus far, that following infection control procedures work. Or maybe they have natural immunity, who knows.
Either way, they’ll both be out of a job in a month. Does that make sense?
DAVID WHEELER, DAWSONVILLE
