Board of Health wrongly criticized

The Pitkin County Board of Health needs to continue to do the right thing by putting the lives and health of upper and midvalley residents first. They should hold fast to their public responsibility, despite some ill-informed and strident critics.

That three employees of a Pitkin County business just tested positive for a COVID-19 variant, which could be more contagious and vaccine resistant, shows why caution should prevail over fatigue and frustration.

COVID-19 deniers and minimizers like Tom Anderson, Maurice Emmer, et al, continue trying to trivialize the death, sickness and devastating medical costs of the disease in the name of personal liberty and the economy.

Reread your U.S. Constitution. It provides for “the blessings of liberty,” but not license. That’s why one can’t drive while drug or alcohol impaired without facing severe penalties. The cost to society in death, injury and hospitalization is simply too high, even though bars and restaurants could make a lot more money serving much more alcohol.

The relentless pandemic has its heel on our necks, not the Board of Health. If not for the criminal negligence of former President Donald J. Trump failing to lead the fight against COVID-19, downplaying the serious risk and mocking public health measures, we wouldn’t be in such a mess.

Citizens should be thanking the Board of Health for enacting the necessary public health measures that have kept the death and hospitalization rates quite low.

Bernie Grauer

Basalt