Representatives need to listen to medical science

To the Editor;

Even in the most rural of regions, the people chosen to represent us to the state prove just how much they deserve the job in times of public crisis. Clearly, this pandemic is such a time for us, and it is sadly obvious that Reps. Stearns, Foster and Higgins and Sen. Davis have no primary interest in their most important job — keeping their constituents safe. If they did, they never would have published their joint letter “We Need to Open the Penquis Region Today.”

Simply put, I am horrified that these four people voted to protect our interest would ignore the recommendations of the state’s CDC, under the direction of Dr. Shah, as well as the science provided by top infectious disease experts and epidemiologists. Some of these elected officials have had careers in education, yet they are ignoring the advice of specialized professionals who are advising us based on evidence, data and science. Anyone who has ever worked in education should know that we must be cautious not simply because of what we know, but what we do not know. More is being learned about this virus every day, and, until there is widespread testing and a vaccine, we must proceed with caution, listening to science.  

It would be far more reassuring to have people representing us who listened to the medical science, worked together with our state leaders instead of sending out partisan jabs, and were looking for ways to help the people of this region through state aid, instead of pushing the dangerous assertion that somehow the virus respects our county lines and we should just wholeheartedly open up and go back to work.  

There is no economy without public health.  

The only thing this letter by our officials accomplished was to embolden citizens who were already not taking this virus seriously. And all that does is endanger the entire community, including my immunocompromised mother and father.

Bobby Keniston

Dover-Foxcroft