I write in response to Bob Barr’s ill-informed letter published in the March 14 Public Forum, asserting that government officials and schools are overreacting in taking various measures to limit the spread of Covid-19, as well as The Tribune’s ill-advised decision to publish same.
I get that everybody gets to have an opinion on things like, who serves Utah’s best burger, what’s the best mid-priced scotch, and stuff like that. But does anyone get to spout his or her views on anything, no matter how serious the topic, how detached those views might be from the best scientific information available, and the potential consequences of individuals ascribing validity to those views to their detriment?
Granting the privilege to publish content on a respected platform such as The Tribune’s editorial pages carries with it the newspaper’s imprimatur, connoting a degree of validity and merit, if not endorsement, to the views and information presented.
Accordingly, The Tribune’s editors should evaluate content that they might publish based on the facts and science as we know it – especially when it comes to matters of life and death as opposed to a favorite burger joint.
While I appreciate that “Doctor” Bob has “spoken to three physicians, one epidemiologist and several other health professionals,” to suggest that the prudential measures being taken to guard against a widespread outbreak of COVID-19 are an overreaction is absurd in view of what is, and is not, known about the virus.
You need look no further than the informative piece published in Friday’s Tribune, How Utah can slow the spread of coronavirus, appropriately co-authored by a multidisciplinary group of experts and politicians, to understand the importance of taking these admittedly extraordinary measures now.
Michael J. Tomko, Salt Lake City
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