To the Editor: Re “ At Least Trump Hasn’t …” (column, April 2): Gail Collins suggests that Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida will be remembered for allowing partygoers on the beach during spring break. The full story has yet to be written. His stay-at-home order on Wednesday was not only too late, but also carved a big exception for churches and synagogues right before Easter and Passover. Wait for the community spread! Bill Titelman Palm Beach, Fla. The Ventilator Shortage To the Editor: Re “ The Ventilators Were on Order. They Still Are ” (front page, March 30): What a heartbreaking story, exposing tragic errors caused by the fundamental weakness in our national health care system. And today we are still making the same mistake. The states and the federal government are in a bidding war for the old-style, expensive, difficult-to-operate ventilators. The invocation of the Defense Production Act is a step forward, but the contracted automakers may not start providing this vital equipment until late April. By then, many thousands will have died unnecessarily. There is good reason to believe that we can speedily produce simple-to-operate, much less expensive ventilators. A volunteer team at M.I.T. is on the verge of relea sing an open-source prototype. A team at Oxford University alread y has a working prototype. Why are our leaders not supporting or even mentioning these efforts? Where is the roadblock? It seems that just as before, as this article so clearly shows, passivity overrides foresight and profits are paramount. In our dire national emergency, who will step up with the courage and vision to mount this rescue effort? Eva Sperling Elisabeth Sperling New Rochelle, N.Y. The writers are, respectively, a psychiatrist and a private tutor. Making Choices About Death To the Editor: “ I Love the World, […]
