I strongly disagree with April 9 ADN letter contributor Theresa Gruenberg’s assessment that Suzanne LaFrance was draconic regarding COVID-19 restrictions. Ms. LaFrance and other like-minded Assembly members did not err on the side of bad judgment.
They did what intelligent leaders do and that was to investigate all information available at the time for something we have never experienced before by consulting with our city’s epidemiologists and infection control experts, and then moved forward using the best advice for the safety of our community concerning public health.
Wearing a mask to decrease transmission of any respiratory or airborne disease has always been, and will continue to be, one of the best practices in helping to control transmission. Have you ever wondered why Asian countries with high-density populations have worn masks in public long before COVID-19 emerged, and continue to do so today and beyond?
Because they figured it out. Ms. LaFrance’s ‘authoritarian tendencies,’ as described by the writer, actually helped save lives in Anchorage, for which we should all be grateful.
— Debra Riner
Retired Intensive Care nurse
Chugiak
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.