Narrow groups to get vaccines
With regard to the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, I suggest that the current tiers, over 65 or between 18 and 64 with a chronic medical condition, be broken down into more manageable tiers to avoid overnight or mile-long parking events.
By breaking it out into more tiers you will create smaller pools of candidates who can be given appointments to attend vaccination events.
Tiers based on age could be sequenced into 75 or older, then 70 or older, then 65 and older. Then, for example, focus could switch to the 18-64 group. Tiering suggestions might be 50-64 with severe medical conditions, and ending in 18-30 with less severe medical conditions.
Matching demographics (demand) and vaccine doses available (supply) would not be a perfect solution and the process to identify the severity of conditions might not be workable, but some logic needs to be put to this process.
Let’s not wait until someone dies from a diabetic coma while waiting in line before some better solutions are found. If there isn’t a local Hidalgo County task force (which should include county demographic experts as well as statistics and logic experts from local academia) working on a better plan, it is very long overdue.
James McNamara
McAllen
Psychiatry in politics
Projection: Psychiatry, the act or process of ascribing to others one’s own ideas, impulses or emotions, especially when they are considered undesirable or cause anxiety.
This act or process is rampant on the present political scene. The instances of it in president Trump have been documented in the listing of his lies, tweets and public appearances. It is also constantly present in many of his followers.
Here is one example: “Obviously these two (Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan) are partnering with and pandering to the lying, panicky and biased ‘big tech’ and fake news, deep state-favorite so-called ‘mainstream media.’” More and more people see the alternate reality of “partnering, and pandering, lying, panicky (assault on our nation’s Capitol) biased media, deep state” as describing Trump and his followers.
David Jackson
Edinburg
Can’t afford more people
When will our state government wake up to the fact that our water supply will not be sufficient to accommodate millions more people? Our leaders have short memories when it comes to planning for the future. Does the water shortage statewide just a few years ago not mean anything to them when it comes to future planning?
Our leaders are encouraging millions of people to come to our state with their legislation and hyping our lack of regulations pertaining to business rags. and climate control. Do they not realize our way of life in Texas is in jeopardy?
We should be putting a premium on our way of life in Texas and discouraging this inward migration. Will a few more dollars in our state coffers offset these possible afflictions in the future and be worth it?
My opinion is that we don’t need any more people taking advantage of others with their extravagant lifestyle such as the NRA leader, any more televangelists, and people gaming the legal system to feather their nests.
Bill Williams
Mission
