Where is Iowa's effort to save lives from COVID-19?

A seven-day average of 15 Iowans are dying each day from COVID-19. What precisely is the state of Iowa doing to slow this down? Not enough as far as we can tell.

More than 7,500 have died from this disease in the state in two years. This is more than 12 times the number who died in car accidents in the same time period. Why are we not mobilizing and doing all we can to slow it down? The governor thinks vaccines are to be strictly a personal choice. In other words, we get to choose whether we will hurt our neighbors with this scourge. Talk show hosts, without an iota of technical training, freely accuse scientists of mistaken information. The hosts have no idea about what vaccines do yet they make pronouncements that are hurting many. Shame on them.

A former president hides the fact that he is vaccinated instead of leading on the issue. Our governor doesn't do enough either. Schools may not mandate vaccinations, and not even private colleges are allowed to upon threat of losing millions of dollars from the state. We urge our elected officials to do everything in their power to be leaders in battling the pandemic or we urge Iowans to vote them out of office. Ignorance and the acceptance of many deaths are not good options.

Steve Feller

Robins