How did we get to such a dire place?

Trump should visit NY hospitals

Recently, Amy Schumer and Bethenny Frankel donated personal protection equipment to a local hospital because it was running out [“LI nurses thankful for Schumer’s donation,” Flash!, April 10]. Certainly, they should be thanked. But their action raises questions that should be asked and answered. First, how did they get equipment when almost every U.S. hospital was struggling to get some? Why should health care workers have to beg for basic protective equipment? But the most serious and basic question is: How did we get to such a dire place?

Where was the federal government and the president? All I hear from President Donald Trump is that he is doing a great job, everything is wonderful and he has this crisis under control. Does he think that health care workers begging for equipment is OK? Does he think that the deaths of tens of thousands or the infections of hundreds of thousands are OK? He should leave the White House bubble and come to New York hospitals to see what is really happening. He has failed miserably, and my fear is that he doesn’t even know how pitiful his performance has been. And if he does, he simply will deny it.

Michael McBride, Moriches

Student’s plea: Do stay home

Everyone should stay home during the coronavirus, or kids like me may not have any school until the fall. I would not get to go on my end-of-the-year field trip, say goodbye to my teacher, and I might have to repeat the year, just because people can’t stay home. You have to go food shopping, but you should go only once a week like my family does, wear a mask, keep a safe distance from people and try not to buy everything because other people may need that.

It also isn’t fair to nurses and doctors because they’re working long hours and are at a high risk of getting the coronavirus. My aunt is a nurse, and she’s been working 24/7, and I haven’t seen her for a month. It is hard not to see anyone, but you can FaceTime with people like I do. I FaceTime with my cousin, grandma and grandpa, and my friends. Staying in the house may sound boring, but you can go for walks and bike rides. One thing you shouldn’t do is have parties or playdates.

If everyone just stayed home, the coronavirus would probably stop spreading soon. So stay home and stay healthy.

Luna Pankratz, age 9, West Islip

Impact of COVID-19 on science

The impact of COVID-19 is well-documented, but one sector that gets far less focus than it should is the impact of the disease on the scientific community at large, including the countless projects scientists were working on before the pandemic to address other diseases [“NY, six states ally to reopen,” News, April 14].

Specifically, the lockdown has forced full or partial closures of scientific labs across the country, in turn bringing existing work — much of which is time-sensitive and has been in motion for years — to a screeching halt.

Families seeking cures or other treatments for ailing family members are experiencing the compounded difficulty of caring for loved ones under challenging circumstances while dealing with the uncertainty of when existing projects — and thus, their sense of hope — will return.

It is encouraging that governors are coordinating multistate efforts to reopen their states. As our leaders consider how we will transition to our new normalcy, we ought to prioritize and deem “essential” science labs, at companies and universities alike, so we can resume the critical work that many of the most vulnerable among us require.

Scott Reich, Port Washington

Vets in post office likely to suffer

President Donald Trump says he cares about veterans, so why is he blocking federal relief money to help the post office. The post office employs nearly 100,000 military members and veterans. If it does not receive relief money, it apparently will cease to function. How is that good for the veterans who will no longer have jobs, not to mention the rest of the country that relies on its service?

Mark Stysiack, Ridge

Instructors also should follow rules

The caption under the picture on page A3 on April 11 said, “Technicians in protective clothing get instructions on a decontamination system at Stony Brook University.” You can see the technicians wearing full personal protective equipment, but none of the instructors wore masks. Is this like our president: “Do as I say, not as I do.” It wasn’t a good modeling example.

Anthony Bruno, Babylon

A way to increase blood donations

Blood donation centers should test donors for coronavirus as well as for antibodies. It would help motivate people to donate blood and identify plasma donation candidates.

Patrick Ehmann, Ronkonkoma