To The Editor:

These are difficult times with no quick and easy answers. Staying home without being able to enjoy things we used to take for granted, like going to the movies, eating out, bowling with friends, is frustrating. The alternative, though, is many times worse as we would put ourselves and other people at great risk of dying. Is that really worth it? Bethel and surrounding areas have quite a few older citizens, as well as citizens with health challenges. And young healthy people are at risk from Covid-19 as well. How many deaths would it take to make people realize we need to do this right?

Thank you to those local businesses that are hunkering down with the rest of us and trying to get through this catastrophe. The ones who immediately come to mind include The Gem, Le Mu Eats, DiCocoa’s, The IGA, The Local Hub, The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum, Walgreens, Kowloons, Roosters Roadhouse, ChoSun, Bethel House of Pizza, Dunkin Donuts, Good Food Store, Suds Pub. I am sure that I missed many others in this list, and to them I apologize.

We desperately need testing, consistent and widespread testing, if we hope to speed up the country’s healing. Our political leaders must demand testing. Leading epidemiologists are sounding the alarm. If we don’t start testing now, our lives will continue to deteriorate.

Patricia Harris, Albany Township
Emily Ecker, Woodstock
Jane Chandler, Woodstock
Bonnie Pooley, Albany Township
Ellen Crocker, Bethel
Seabury and Sharon Lyon, Bethel
Garrett and Melody Bonnema, Bethel
Iris and Tim Roberts