Reader’s views: herd immunity + President Trump

Protecting the environment

With all the Congressional drama happening in Washington, D.C., I don’t want to forget about one of our most fundamental environmental laws: the Endangered Species Act. Passed practically unanimously in 1973 during the Nixon administration, the Endangered Species Act protects our imperiled plants, wildlife, and habitat and recognizes that they “are of esthetic, ecological, educational, historical, recreational, and scientific value to the Nation and its people,” according to the Act’s preamble.

Let’s add economic value to that list. According to a 2017 report by the Outdoor Industry Association, the outdoor recreation economy generates $887 billion in consumer spending, 7.6 million jobs, $65.3 billion federal tax revenue, and $59.2 state & local tax revenue. Yet, without clean habitats and biodiversity, we wouldn’t have the privilege to enjoy the prosperity that comes from the recreation industry.

Right now, some members of Congress are promising to gut the Endangered Species Act to make way for fossil fuel development in critical habitat areas, including our public lands. We need the Endangered Species Act and other environmental laws to protect our disappearing wildlife and public lands. Our senators should protect the Endangered Species Act.

Jean Ladnier

Gulfport

Lack of criticism

I am angry. Why?

Due to what I call “belligerent ignorance” on the part of President Trump, I was unable to accompany or even see my mother during her recent emergency trip to the hospital.

Trump accepts no responsibility for anything (unless it benefits him), repeatedly lies, and justifies everything he says and does. A sizable portion of the American electorate continues to unquestioningly support him and to make ridiculous excuses for him, blaming everyone and everything else.

Rep. Steven Palazzo, Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Governor Tate Reeves are unwilling to offer even tepid criticism of our federal government’s lack of an effective response to the pandemic for fear of being on the receiving end of a mean Trump tweet. Not that long ago, each touted Trump as a wise and a capable president.

Major sources of news in Mississippi such as this very newspaper refuse to call Trump out for what he truly is: irresponsible. An abject failure as a leader. A blatantly shameless liar. I am not blaming President Trump for the coronavirus. I am blaming him (and those who have enabled him) for the colossal failure of leadership on his part which has led to and is exacerbating the current situation in this country.

Bo Alawine

Ocean Springs

Wrong terminology

I am a veterinarian with experience in viral disease eradication in cattle, and I am sorry to hear the theoretical veterinary term “herd immunity” being applied so loosely to the covid-19 pandemic.

“Herd immunity” implies that if a certain percentage of the population becomes immune, the entire population will be safe from natural transmission of a contagious disease. Exactly what percentage depends on the specific virus and the behavior of the affected animals or people.

Theoretically, if “herd immunity” comes about with 70% of the population having been infected (probably on the low side for covid-19) it means that in the U.S. 222 million people will have contracted coronavirus infection, of which 80% become clinically ill and 3.4% die (at the present mortality rate for covid-19). That’s an intolerable 6 million deaths before we, as a nation, have “herd immunity.” This is a target that we cannot wait for.

The percentage of immune animals necessary to achieve”herd immunity” is really unknowable in practice. That is why we vaccinate all the animals in a herd.

Dr. Fauci was correct when he said that life would not return to normal until we have a vaccine, and even after that we will have to remain vigilant. Remember, last year there was a measles epidemic in the U.S., yet we’ve had a measles vaccine since 1963. We should stop thinking that “herd immunity” is the answer to covid-19 and be willing to accept the necessary inconveniences until this scourge is under control.

Albert Sollod

Diamondhead