Thank you

Thank you to the Postal Employees for being on the job everyday…. Thank you to the police men, fire men, and the EMT’S, on the road on call… Thank you Dr’s, and Nurses who calmly provide hospital care to those in need… Thank you to the Super Markets for cleaning, stocking, and providing take out services … and to the restaurants for providing takeout services… Thank you to all the businesses providing early shopping for the elderly … Thank you People-Plus for reaching out thru TV for shut in exercise help … Thank you to the teachers reaching out to the students … Thank you to neighbors and friends, calling see if there is a  need… Thank you to the Pastor calling to remind us, God is in control … Thank you to all our children and relatives who call to remind us to stay inside … Thank God for  food, water,  a warm and safe place to quarantine and living in the USA !

Bonnie Wheeler,
Topsham

What was Trump thinking?

We received some game-changing news Thursday at the White House coronavirus task force briefing. William Bryan, the acting head of the Science and Technology Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security, announced the results of an important study that will help frame what next steps can be taken in controlling the virus, opening up our country, and getting people back to work.

Unfortunately, President Trump’s ignorant and dangerous suggestions about treating coronavirus patients, which followed Bryan’s presentation, is probably all most people will hear about. It was enough to give our beloved Dr. Birx and Dr. Fauci a heart attack.

What the study showed is, especially here in Maine as warm weather returns, we will probably be better off outside than inside.

“Our most striking observation to date is the powerful effect that solar light appears to have on killing the virus, both on surfaces and in the air,” Bryan said.

“We’ve seen a similar effect with both temperature and humidity as well, where increasing the temperature and humidity or both are generally less favorable to the virus. The virus dies the quickest in the presence of direct sunlight under the conditions studied.” He said bleach kills the virus in five minutes and isopropyl alcohol kills it in 30 seconds.

“While there are many unknown links in the COVID-19 transmission chain, we believe these trends can support practical decision making to lower the risks associated with the virus,” Bryan said. That was the good news.

Unfortunately, Trump decided to offer his own suggestions. He posed the question of whether ultraviolet rays could somehow be inserted into the body, or isopropyl injected into the body to kill the virus. I had to rewind my DVR to make sure he said what I thought he said. Good God. Did he skip eighth-grade science?

I hope people will look up the April 23 coronavirus task force briefing on YouTube to learn about this study. It’s absolutely fascinating.

Paula Gibbs McKenney,
Woolwich