Sen. Ernst's reaction to vaccination mandates

Sen. Joni Ernst recently responded to President Joe Biden's new requirements for vaccination and testing mandates as "diverting attention away from the 20th anniversary of 9/11.“ I consider this to be a ridiculous and tone deaf statement. Senator, do you realize that 1,500 people die of COVID per day right now? That is a 9/11 every other day. At least 658,000 U.S. citizens have died due to COVID over the past year and a half. That is the equivalent of about 220 9/11 events.

Senator, would you be this cavalier about this many dead U.S. citizens if we were having 9/11 level terror attacks every other day for the past year and a half?

I think President Biden understands the magnitude of 9/11 and its 20th anniversary.

Do you understand the magnitude and cost of COVID and the need to fight this with every tool we have?

Janet Hixson

Cedar Rapids