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Letters to the Editor, Jan. 6

Re “City rolls out new COVID-19 workplace measures” (Bryan Passifiume, Jan. 5): Toronto Public Health, in its infinite wisdom, has determined that after 10 months, since the arrival of COVID-19, now is the right time to introduce 11 different categories describing workplace outbreaks in the interest of providing transparency to the public. This is a questionable set of priorities, in my opinion, given that one third of the LTC homes are once again infected with COVID-19. Interestingly, seven of the 11 categories describing the workplace are presently locked down by government mandate, leaving four deemed most essential and critical sectors open to operate. Farms and food processing plants are two of the remaining four categories. Increasing public apprehension by reporting that their food chain is being affected by COVID-19 might be a little counterproductive. Instead of writing reports on how to present infection rates to the public, maybe there should be some planning on keeping businesses open because this situation isn’t going to get better any time soon.
Les Kraft
Richmond Hill
(It does raise questions why the city is suddenly doing this, but any form of transparency is welcome)
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I was out for a walk with my wife and we wandered into an outdoor shopping mall whose stores were all closed, save two groceries, a bakery and a couple coffee shops, the latter of which we entered. We were the third and fourth customers in the premises, which had ample floor space and everyone was comfortably socially distanced. We acquired our purchases, went back outside, then wondered why it is that four (at least) customers were permitted inside the coffee shop but retail stores with substantially more space were locked shut. Again, the question arises: Why is it considered ‘safe’ for scores of people to mill about stores such as Walmart and Costco, yet verboten to allow a handful of customers into small, often independent, retail establishments? Such retailers have proven that they can easily control the numbers of people they permit in their stores at any time, so come on Ford and Tory, apply some common sense.
Robert Laing
(Apparently we are asking too much for some evidence based shutdowns)


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Re “Many businesses are quietly bending the rules — who can blame them?” (Anthony Furey, Jan. 5): You do not get to break, or ‘bend,’ the law because you dislike it. If you think the government has enacted “a pandemic restriction and cannot prove that its benefits outweigh its damages,” run in the next election to replace that government. The law is the law.
Adam Waiser
(Even if the law is an ass?)
Time for some common sense! Take those vaccines out of the freezer and put them into Dickie Dee carts where the kids can give them out like popsicles! Nothing else is working!
Terry Toll
Campbell’s Bay, Que.
(Whatever it takes!)

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