Letters to the editor: Vaccinations Letter writers, Gannett
System set up backwards
I notice there are many letters to the editor complaining about NOT being able to make contact to get a COVID-19 shot. That is because the system is set up backwards. The IRS has your age, social security number, address, and phone number on file if you filed a tax return.
A very simple program could be set up to mail you (and your spouse) a date and location to get your shot. The location would be based on the distance from your home. The number of shots available would be based on the number of people. A different location would be assigned if that location was “booked up”. Time of your shot could be based on a 24-hour time frame that you would be able to make a change if it is impossible to make the date assigned. (Tee- time is not a valid excuse, open heart surgery would be).
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility
The News-Star (Monroe) 2/4/2021 Greg Hilburn, Monroe News-Star
Replay Video UP NEXT
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is expanding the pool of people eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine to include those ages 65 to 69 beginning Monday, he announced Thursday during a press conference.
The new group includes about 250,000 Louisianans and pushes the number of those eligible for the vaccine in the state above 1 million. We know people 65 and older are more likely to die than those who are younger, Edwards said.
Edwards expansion will also include people in the governor s Unified Command Group, including himself, some elections officials and some local COVID responders in most parishes, a total of about 25,000 people.
Deadly Slater Fire 100% contained, but not officially ‘out’ [Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, Calif.]
Dec. 11 The deadly Slater Fire which devastated the town of Happy Camp has been declared 100% contained, as has the smaller Devil Fire, Klamath National Forest officials said today. The fires were officially declared contained on Nov. 16.
Sparked Sept. 8 near the Slater Butte Lookout, the Slater Fire destroyed 198 homes and killed two people. Together with the Devil Fire, more than 166,000 acres were burned on the Klamath, Rogue River-Siskiyou and Six Rivers national forests.
While the fires are completely contained, they haven’t yet been declared “out,” said KNF representative Jennifer Erickson. Fires are declared “out” when officials are confident there’s no more “heat” inside the fire’s footprint. Burned stumps, for example, can smolder for weeks or months after a fire, Erickson said.