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Follow virus rules now
for better holiday in 2021

The first case of coronavirus appeared a year ago and the virus is surging. According to Nico Savidge’s article (“California shatters more coronavirus records as officials warn rapidly filling hospitals ‘may be overwhelmed,’” Dec. 8), county health departments in California reported more than 34,000 of new COVID cases in a single day. These numbers will continue to increase with Christmas and New Year around the corner.

My mom has been an ICU nurse at Kaiser for over 30 years, and this is her last year before she retires. She is 67 years old, which puts her in the highest risk age group. Even though she is at high risk, my mom is at the frontline helping the infected patients, while wearing her N95 mask, surgical mask, and a face shield for more than 8 hours a day, 6 days a week.

Please wear a mask and stay home for the holidays so we can get this virus under control to see our loved ones next holiday.

Jennifer Morales
Union City

Businesses punished
for selfish individuals

Gov. Gavin Newsom has now closed hair/nail salons, barbershops and outdoor dining again to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I think this is a mistake.

Hair/nail salons, barbershops and outdoor dining are not the cause of this recent virus surge. My hair/nail salon sanitizes everything – so does my husband’s barbershop. They were trained to do this before being licensed, and now they do it even more. Outdoor dining should continue, weather permitting.

The surge has happened because people refuse to wear a mask, refuse to maintain physical distance, choose to gather (whether large or small) with those from other households. and decide to travel when advised not to.

Gov. Newsom, please do not punish hair/nail salons, barbershops and restaurants that provide outdoor dining for the stupidity and defiance of those who care about only themselves and not the well-being of others.

Ramona Krausnick
Dublin

In church ruling, court
justly upheld right

If you disagree with a Supreme Court decision, the left now has you convinced we should pack the court. Might as well tear up the Constitution.

It is not religion trumping health. It is ensuring fundamental rights. Churches are much safer than many places such as Costco, Ross (hardly an essential business), liquor stores, etc., where hundreds of people go in and out, handle everything, and often don’t practice social distancing. Churches, on the other hand, have screening procedures and follow COVID protocols.

The issue involves treating a fundamental right fairly. The government should not curtail a fundamental, constitutional right unless it is absolutely necessary, and then with the minimum restraints necessary to achieve the goal. Once we start curtailing a fundamental right unnecessarily, we are on a slippery slope and other fundamental rights are at risk.

Douglas Abbott
Union City

The case against
Trump for treason

Once out of office, Donald Trump should be arrested for treason. Treason is “acting to overthrow one’s government.”. That’s what Trump’s doing by trying to overturn the results of a free and fair election, and instead of inaugurating a new president, the winner of that election, keeping himself in power.

Trump’s lies about election fraud, vote tampering, etc., have been refuted by state and federal agencies and even Trump enabler Attorney General William Barr.

Trump has tried to con Republicans in Michigan and Pennsylvania to ignore the people’s vote and install Electoral College voters to support him. In Georgia, he tried strong-arming Republican Gov. Brian Kemp to declare him the winner. Kemp refused to participate in Trump’s illegal scheme. Trump has tried shenanigans in other states also.

The new attorney general needs to bring to justice Trump and accomplices who worked to overthrow the government of the presidential election’s winner, Joe Biden.

Dan Fahey
Livermore