COVID fatigue is debilitating

I think "COVID fatigue" is an appropriate term ["Restrictions come up against ‘COVID fatigue,’" News, Nov. 15]. Like "battle fatigue," people are experiencing a lethargic debility these past months. We weren’t made to breathe through masks for extended periods, never seeing smiles (or frowns) or any expressions at all on others. The worst is being unable to hug or shake hands. It’s known that lack of physical contact damages emotional development. People are losing patience and responding with angry frustration. The fear of COVID-19 is being overtaken by not having normal conversations or physical contact. It’s stressful living in semi-isolation, especially for those of us following the "rules." How much longer before we lose our sanity?

Dolly Kalhorn,

North Babylon

To those suffering from COVID fatigue, we are all suffering, but here are a few suggestions. Read a book. Take a course. Learn a language. Write your memoirs. Get together for "dinner" on Zoom with friends. Do a jigsaw puzzle. Try some new recipes. Buy an adult coloring book. Take up a new hobby. Get involved in a charity. Make lemonade out of lemons. Use the time to expand your interests and your mind.

Irma Gurman,

Smithtown

It’s not the vaccine that’s going to keep people alive, it’s the vaccinations. President Donald Trump is doing little to limit the spread of COVID-19 [Biden team cites delay in transition," News, Nov. 16]. He’s too busy tweeting about a rigged election. Tens of thousands of more Americans are going to die before a vaccination will be administered because, from my viewpoint, Trump is not leading to slow down the spread of the virus.

Martin Blumberg,

Melville

Integrity of election system is lost

I get all the silly political rhetoric: President Donald Trump is responsible for the pandemic; President-elect Joe Biden is going to cure the pandemic. Biden is going to unite the country, but I believe he won’t because he does not believe in the same things that many of us Americans do. And for those things that we might all believe in, we disagree greatly on how to get there. However, to me, the real problem is the election system ["NY should push for additional voting reforms," Editorial, Nov. 10]. It is damaged, perhaps beyond repair. I say that ballots can’t be mailed out to elect the president the way fast-food restaurants mail out coupons. I believe there is no way to know or to show who voted. The integrity of the system, to me, is now lost.

Brian Reilly,

Lindenhurst

The letter "Let’s keep electoral system we have" [Nov. 11] compelled me to respond. The common reason given for the Electoral College was to give smaller populated states an equal footing with the more populated ones. But history shows this was not the basis of this constitutional amendment. Some of the Founding Fathers felt that many in the population were not informed enough about the issues or candidates running so it was necessary to have Electoral College representatives make the final decision. The system might have been eliminated had it not been for slavery. It was not only about the population of states but also the differences of the North and South over slavery.

Sue Wallace,

Bayside

Trump missed an important lesson

As educators and parents, we teach children to play fairly and understand that you can’t always be the winner ["It’s time to accept reality," Editorial, Nov. 13]. It’s too bad that President Donald Trump wasn’t taught this important lesson.

Gail Sills,

Oceanside

Legislatures should consider enacting a new law against "Maga-cide": the willful abandonment of duties owed to the American people through flagrant disregard of science and negligent unwillingness to listen to medical experts, resulting in the needless deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Steven Kantor,

North Woodmere

President Donald Trump’s true character is now apparent ["Trump campaign running out of time," News, Nov. 15]. His refusal to allow normal preparations for a smooth transition are grounded in a Trump-first mentality. Assisting President-elect Joe Biden’s transition team does not damage Trump’s legal efforts regarding the counting of votes in key states. What it would do is put America first by ensuring that, if Biden is president, he and his team are ready. Instead, Trump is putting America at risk. He is putting our troops at risk. He is blocking the Biden team’s ability to be ready on Day One to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic or whatever new crisis lurks around the corner. To me, Trump is simply acting like a spoiled child having a tantrum. Ensuring a smooth transition has nothing to do with "stop the steal," that is, unless Trump is working on his own plan to steal the election. Trump’s actions should raise concern for all Americans.

Gerry Ring,

Old Bethpage

"We cannot live under a Marxist government" said a sign carried at a pro-Trump rally in Florida ["Supporters rally for Trump," News, Nov. 15]. I agree, but I and more than 78 million other voters said that we cannot endure another four years of President Donald Trump’s narcissism, delusions and divisiveness that risk destroying our democracy.

Paul Jacobs,

Huntington