To the Editor:

Chinese farmers brought virus contaminated animals to a marketplace in Wuhan China. Humans contracted the virus at the market, medical personnel reported it to the authorities, but Chinese leaders decided to cover it up. This allowed the virus to spread around the world.

The Trump administration down played the potential severity of the virus outbreak. This delayed the response and preparations by medical agencies and state and local governments to combat the virus. In January our intelligence agencies warned Trump of the impending coronavirus outbreak, but he ignored them.

Trump said the coronavirus was a “new hoax” by the Democrats. He blamed the media for fake reporting about it. He said it was no big deal and it would quickly disappear.

Trump is more concerned with a depressed economy adversely impacting his reelection, and he is disregarding advice from medical professionals and trying to muzzle leading infectious disease authorities within the country. Governors and mayors should ignore Trump and implement their own measures, including their timelines, and not go with an arbitrary Trump timeline.

We have an inept and blundering President during a serious crisis who is endangering the lives of millions of Americans..

Donald Moskowitz
Londonderry, NH