Hospital cutbacks amid coronavirus accentuate the flaws in our health care system

Hospital cuts

Regarding “NC hospitals cut staff, expenses as coronavirus spreads,” (April 3):

The coronavirus pandemic lays bare the ways in which our expensive, inefficient and profit-driven health care system has left our communities defenseless against public health crises.

During 13 years as a front-line health care worker, I have been laid off twice. While hospital executives continued to rake in millions in salaries and bonuses, those health care workers still employed were made to care for more patients with fewer resources. Believe me when I tell you that hospitals are setting communities up for heartache by eliminating essential workers in the midst of a deadly pandemic.

Instead of allowing hospitals to siphon money out of the system by targeting patients who can pay for expensive procedures or avoiding those without the ability to pay, we need a national health program like Medicare for All. It would divert resources to where the needs are: maintaining safe staffing levels and services that produce healthy outcomes.

Jonathan Michels, Durham

Zane’s premise

During this COVID-19 pandemic, there is an understandable desire to stop isolating and get back to work. J. Peder Zane (April 9) suggests we simply isolate the population he feels is at greatest risk — elderly people with pre-existing conditions. Unfortunately, he ignores the fact that people of all ages can have severe problems with this disease. A coronavirus is a force of nature. Until we have a vaccine, or until there is evidence this virus does not exist in the world, we will have to isolate and take other measures to break the chain of infection. To prematurely decide that we can go back to normal is to invite a second wave of pandemic.

Adams Wofford, Chapel Hill

Abortion protest

Sen. Ted Cruz and A Preferred Women’s Health Center both got it wrong. The protesters may have broken the law by having a gathering over the limit, but in my view the abortion clinic is also wrong. I don’t consider abortion services essential during a stay-at-home order.

Steven Wolicki, Garner

DPS food program

On April 6 Durham Public Schools dispensed with its obligation to feed schoolchildren throughout the district after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. Not feeding children breaks with the norms other districts are setting and it puts Durham’s most vulnerable families at risk of increased food insecurity and hunger.

Crises — and pandemics — have a way of surfacing our highest priorities. DPS’ policy change has communicated something profound about what it cares most about and how it sees its role in this community. Schools are an essential part of the fabric of our communities, and art of our social safety net. Sadly, DPS has let some of our most fragile neighbors down when they need support the most.

As a DPS parent and a person who has spent nearly two decades working with poverty-fighting nonprofits, I sincerely hope the school district will reconsider its decision to end the food distribution program.

Shawn Hegele, Durham

November elections

I am amazed at how willing Republicans are — in N.C. and up to the president — to let it be known they intend to suppress voting by people who may not vote Republican.

This is completely alien to what I was taught about the foundations of our democracy - fairness, equality, the right of all citizens to vote. It appears to be another case of Trump saying aloud what’s supposed to be the quiet part and Republicans joining with him, acting as if this is just fine by them.

I am humiliated by their normalization of this approach to our democracy. We need to take steps to ensure all citizens the right to vote. There is time before the November election to make changes.

Linda Donnelly, Apex

Weapons spending

Each day the news talks about staying safe and well during the coronavirus outbreak, yet we continually hear of shortages in our health care system. Last year alone the U.S. spent $35 billion for nuclear weapons, supposedly to keep us secure. This money could fund 300,000 ICU units, 35,000 ventilators, and pay salaries for 75,000 doctors and 150,000 nurses. Have we misplaced our security?

Sandy Irving, Raleigh

Do your part

There are multitudes of people who are not shouldering their part of the load in this pandemic. On the rare times my wife and I go out we see far more people who are not masked and gloved than those who are. We see elderly people without protection and even saw a pregnant woman. Simply put, all these people are a danger to the public and should be reminded that they’re putting their family, neighbors, and the public at risk.

Select businesses have been granted the privilege by the state to remain open. They should take the lead and require gloves and masks for everyone who enters. If they do not, the governor should mandate it.

George Davis, Fuquay-Varina

This story was originally published April 10, 2020 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Hospital cutbacks amid coronavirus accentuate the flaws in our health care system."