At today’s infection rates in Hawaii, you have about a 1 in 1,000 chance each day of catching COVID-19. The odds are less if you are vaccinated and greater if you are not. They will go up if rates increase, which is highly likely. And once infected, you will spread COVID-19 to those who you care about.

While only 1% of those infected die, that will increase if the health care system is overwhelmed and 10% of survivors go on to have long-term disabilities.

Wayne Levy, M.D.

Hawaii Kai

Explain benchmark for COVID-19 restrictions

When Hawaii went into total lockdown in March 2020 it was to protect hospitals with a limited number of beds from a surge of COVID-19 cases. Now more than a year later, we still have to wear masks indoors. Keep in mind we are the state with the lowest death rate per 100,000 population, and one of the lowest infection rates per 100,000.

If you are a healthy person, catching COVID-19 is not a death sentence. Why don’t people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have not been vaccinated count toward Gov. David Ige’s 70% mandate, since they do have immunity? It is time for Ige to explain to us kamaaina exactly what the state’s benchmark is for opening everything back up.

If we stay shut down every time a new variant comes down the pike, we’ll be locked down wearing masks until 2030.

Fred Van Osten

Lahaina

Push needed to get people to vaccinate

I am relieved that the governor will require public employees to be vaccinated or take weekly COVID-19 tests. Some large private employers, including those in health care, are implementing similar requirements. Banning unvaccinated student athletes and coaches, as some educational institutions have done, also may improve vaccination rates.

The population that needs to be strongly addressed are those receiving public benefits such as unemployment, welfare, rental assistance and SNAP. The government needs to find an avenue to encourage compliance, perhaps by imposing a monetary penalty on those who are unvaccinated for other than medical or religious reasons.

Cyrus Siu

Kaunakakai, Molokai

Texas Democrats fled to defend democracy

“Texas Democrats fled state, shirked duties” (Star-Advertiser, Letters, Aug. 6), uses illogical analogies to compare the consequences of life-or-death situations of essential rescue workers to Texas Democrats.

The job of legislators in this case is not about human life or death; it’s about the life or death of democracy itself. They fled Texas in a desperate measure to stop Texas Republicans from passing restrictive voting laws to limit certain groups of people from exercising their constitutional right to vote.

Texas Republicans also have the gall to pass laws to be able to overturn election results if their cronies don’t win. That’s not democracy. The people decide elections, not legislators who create laws to win elections for their party. Texas Republicans shirked their duty to defend and protect our U.S. Constitution.

Texas Democrats are heroes trying to save our precious democracy with a free and fair electoral process.

Beryl Jim

Mililani

Thomas’ praise for DeSantis beyond pale

I understand why you have some conservative columnists in your Views & Voices opinion section. It’s a good idea. I get it, however awful some of those columns have been. But the recent Cal Thomas column praising the ideas of Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis to the skies is beyond the pale (“True leaders like DeSantis take strong stand for liberty,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 10).

Thomas has joined the ranks of the conspiratorial, uninformed and ignorant hordes. Unthinking reflexive rugged individualism is the enemy of a thriving American society. As a former naive Emersonian Thoreauvian, I have learned that from my 43 years of living in the midst of the Hawaiian ohana-extended family philosophy. Thank you for that truth, Hawaii.

Hank Chapin

Manoa

Feral chickens running rampant all over Kailua

When my family and I arrived in Hawaii we lived in our newly purchased Kailua home.

We loved our neighbors and everything about Hawaii. Now, 44 years later, I have to say things have changed a lot, and not all in a good way.

I’m disappointed that chickens and roosters have been allowed to run free in almost every corner of Kailua. In every parking lot, bus stop, and even at my feet while dining at a local restaurant, these farm animals are clucking and crowing undeterred.

How could this be allowed to happen and where is the Department of Health?

Gail Caveney

Kailua

Thanks to BWS for restoring water flow

Thank you to the men and women of the Board of Water Supply for their hard work in repairing the water main break on Kalanianaole Highway and restoring water to Hawaii Kai (“24-inch water main break in Hawaii Kai cuts service, closes Hanauma Bay and Koko Head Shooting Complex,” Star-Advertiser, Aug. 9).

It made me realize that I cannot live like the old days. I like turning on a faucet and having water come out, or flushing the toilet. You don’t realize how much you rely on day-to-day things until you don’t have them.

Thank you, BWS!

Irene A. Yamamoto

Hawaii Kai

Ann Wright right about military leases in Hawaii

I support unreservedly the terrifically on-point commentary by Ann Wright (“Military should return Hawaii lands,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Aug. 8). Wright is a national and international treasure with a vision that is transcendent and always searching for peace and justice.

Robert H. Stiver

Pearl City

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