KEEP TASMANIANS SAFE
Premier Peter Gutwein asks us to use common sense. Well c'mon, Peter, how about you do the same? You say you want to keep Tasmanians safe - well close the borders again and allow us to go about our lives as normally as possible, as we have for the majority of time since this all started in March 2020. The majority of us Tasmanians are double vaxxed as you asked yet we are still being impeded with mask wearing now. Why? Just to have borders open to allow people in who haven't done what Tasmanians have done so well for the last two years? Get real.Close the borders, and stop pandering to the minority.
John Collins, Perth.
BORDER BELLY LAUGH
Re John Edelsten's letter calling for borders to be closed to stop the spread of Omicron. Thank you for giving me the best belly laugh I have enjoyed since the pandemic began two years ago. With families separated for years, Tasmanians missing the births, weddings, and funerals of loved ones elsewhere in Australia and overseas; Tasmanian businesses going broke; whole economic sectors on their knees; people raiding their savings and superannuation just to live; worldwide tragedies; national tragedies; and even local tragedies, I needed something light to raise my flagging spirits coming up to Christmas. Your letter about keeping our borders closed even longer to stop Omicron was just the tonic I needed. Thank you so, so much.
You were joking, right? No matter what the Tasmanian Government does, COVID-19 will enter Tasmania in one of its current variants, or those yet to come. To think otherwise is absolutely absurd.
Mark Wells, Launceston.
COVID SPREAD 'PREVENTABLE'
The borders open on Wednesday, three days later, we have COVID in Tasmania.
Some people weren't vaccinated. Why were they allowed on the plane?
We were safe - and now we're not. This was entirely preventable, we know there's a new highly infectious strain, we know the LGH is already understaffed and unable to cope with patients, let alone ones with COVID. How many surgical procedures for patients on long waiting lists will be cancelled if COVID runs rife? How many will die? We know other states have seen increased rates of infection.
Why on Earth did the Premier allow our borders to open?
Charmaine Silver, Launceston.
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WE NEED PRECAUTIONS
We always knew that by reopening our borders, COVID would come, and it was the statement made by Premier Peter Gutwein so every precaution that the majority of caring Tasmanians have observed is being kicked out the door once again by decisions made by politicians. Rates of infection on average double every day yet the doors to the state are thrown open. First mandatory masks, then what. The rest of the world is taking precautions yet Australian politicians are acting like nothing is happening and its business as usual with the leader Scott Morrison only concern is tourism and the almighty dollar. Why are we flying planeloads of mainlanders here every day knowing that some are infected and will spread the virus in our community? Just madness.
Ian McGrail, Somerset.
RESTRICTIONS MAKE SENSE
To who it may concern from a very concerned Tasmanian. If people who have been double vaccinated can still catch COVID should there not be a quarantine period of at least three days put on ALL arrivals to Tasmania? The health and wellbeing of Tasmanians should be of top priority.
We have been COVID-free for such a long time until now and managed to maintain a good quality of life. Why put our already stretched medical system under further stress by introducing COVID into our beautiful Island state.
We need to seriously consider just why we want to let people in to our state that are from high-risk COVID areas. Is the money they "could" bring in worth more than people's lives and our peace of mind.
Annette Jeffery, Latrobe.
WAS PLAN WELL THOUGHT OUT?
Just wondering how much thought has gone into opening up Tasmania's border. Tasmania has a large elderly population, I am guessing a large percentage of these elderly people have health issues which could impact the way they live by becoming isolated for fear of contracting COVID-19.
In my opinion, Tasmania was surviving with borders closed, money seems to be more important than the possible or probable death of our elderly if COVID-19 gets out of control as it has NSW.
Craig Turner, Youngtown.
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