Letters: Maintain transit | Require vaccines | ‘Crisis fatigue’ | Gun control | IRS not evil

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Make effort to vaccinate
homebound citizens

I have been inquiring since last year as to when homebound residents will be vaccinated. I have called way too many places and people to document in this letter, but I am willing to provide any data required to help resolve this issue.

These citizens, many of them seniors, are no different than those in care facilities. They are simply homebound, not able to travel. They have been isolated in their homes since March 2020, fearful to let anyone not vaccinated into the home.

These citizens seem to have been relegated to the last in line for vaccinations. Please, please, let’s give some priority to vaccinating these citizens who are homebound.

Donnis Stoner
Sunnyvale

Imperative that we
maintain public transit

Re. “Poll: Half of Bay Area residents feel offices still unsafe,” Page A1, April 14 :

Local representatives and leaders must prioritize the funding and management of the San Francisco Bay Area’s public transit systems. In the discussion surrounding whether public transportation will survive the pandemic, I found the poll results from Ethan Baron’s article concerning. Only one-fifth of respondents said they would use buses and trains post-pandemic. Experts suggest a potential public transit “death spiral”; cycles of low ridership and funding cuts leading to more limited services and even fewer riders.

A lack of frequent, reliable, and cost-effective public transit would disproportionately impact working families and people of color – communities already plagued by skyrocketing living expenses and recovering from the pandemic, socially and economically. Yes, some of us will continue to work remotely, but this poll also shows 22% of those making less than $50,000 a year will not. There will always be riders in need of public transit; it is an issue of equity.

Madeleine Fraix
Berkeley

Mandatory vaccines
would keep colleges safe

Re. “Shots urged but not required,” Page B1, April 9 :

As eligibility requirements expand, the COVID-19 vaccine is becoming readily available for those 16 years and older. Vaccination should absolutely be mandatory for university students. What people fail to recognize is that vaccine medical clearance has been required by students for myriad conditions, including influenza and measles. If universities are perfectly comfortable requiring a flu shot, immunization for the far more deadly COVID-19 should not be a concern.

This is a timely issue as the CSU decision sets a precedent for other universities, like my own institution, still on the fence regarding vaccination mandates. As a UC Berkeley student, I have witnessed the danger of unvaccinated students seeing COVID-19 continue to spread across campus through gatherings. I eagerly await in-person classes, but not at the expense of community safety.

Sofia Finestone
Berkeley

‘Crisis fatigue’ is real,
but you can manage it

In March 2020, the world temporarily closed. COVID-19 reshaped lives.

The pandemic is not our only problem now. We heard the doom-and-gloom stories of coronavirus for months. Massive job loss, civil unrest, and whether kids should attend school in person are constantly discussed.

Many people feel overwhelmed by the chaos. Californians are physically and emotionally worn out.

This ongoing stress is crisis fatigue. It takes a toll on the body and mind. Crisis fatigue is not a formal medical diagnosis, but its effects are real.

These are some ways to manage crisis fatigue:

• Avoid negative coping skills. Overdrinking and drug use are some.

• Make a daily routine. This is an essential treatment, because it is done continuously. You have control over this.

• Limit the news. Too much can increase your crisis fatigue. Disconnect from the news sometimes.

Believe in your own resilience.

Lori Martin
Tracy

Up to the people
to demand gun control

Last Thursday, President Joe Biden called gun violence in the United States “an “international embarrassment.” (“Biden takes first steps to address gun violence,” Page A4, April 9 )

While his words ring true, the onus of responsibility for change lies not with the government, but with the American people. Legislative actions to end gun violence and protect American citizens have continuously failed. As a result, more than 39,000 Americans die each year from gun violence.

American history demonstrates that impactful change comes from the people. Civil rights were demanded by the people, the call to end the Vietnam War was demanded by the people, the end to police brutality against Black Americans is being demanded by the people. It is time to demand an end to the epidemic of gun violence in our nation. All Americans must stand together and demand an end to the bipartisan divide that is crippling legislative attempts to remedy gun violence.

Christy Chantel
Los Gatos

Tax scofflaws, not
IRS, are the bad guys

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