An ‘irresponsible and thoughtless thing to say’

The Editor,

My partner and I were upset after reading an article in the latest Low Down about a guy forced to quarantine at a hotel following a trip to Mexico (“Hotel COVIDfornia,” May 4 edition). His closing remark that the quarantine hotel was “...overkill. It’s raining, people are going to get wet” was shocking considering that, in this case, “getting wet” means that some people are going to die. What an irresponsible and thoughtless thing to say.

My mother and aunt died this past Christmas from COVID-19. They both lived in Birmingham, Alabama where they were not required to wear masks and didn’t. They thought they were going to be fine and, just like Mr. McMillan’s experience in Mexico, being in Birmingham felt like “easy living.” There were family gatherings at Thanksgiving and trips to the spa — and somewhere in all of that they got sick, then very sick, then died. It was an absolutely horrible experience. My siblings and I are still reeling from its effects.

Despite Mr. McMillan’s assertion, he does not understand the seriousness of the pandemic. In some more authoritarian countries, lockdowns came swiftly and remained until the virus was virtually eradicated. More democratic countries have tried to balance economic – and psychological – stability with the overall health of their populations. This is tricky, to say the least, and I am very glad not to be in charge. With our understanding of the virus changing daily and protocols following suit, our various leaders struggle as often to find the sweet spot, ways to allow us to function as a society, while trying to deter those who would endanger others by ignoring even the most basic protocols.

Laura Hay and Jason Jones

Cantley, QC