Ford Elsaesser wants the Bonner County commissioners to issue a resolution clearly stating the county supports and stands behind healthcare providers “who are working extraordinarily hard to be prepared for any increase in infections.”

With an extremely low known infection rate in the county and no hospitalizations, this call for a resolution appears to be a call to virtue signal.

Elsaesser claims that the sheriff has called for an immediate end to the stay-at-home order. Actually, the sheriff requested the governor call the Legislature into special session to discuss the state response to COVID-19 and make collaborative decisions. He also claims that healthcare workers are “doing everything humanly possible to keep Bonner County safe during this crisis.” There have been four known infections in Bonner County. Have any of those even been hospitalized? If not, then presently the hospital workers are not keeping anyone safe.

Do these workers really need county commissioners to commend them for doing their job? Truck drivers do their job every day during this pandemic and never ask the commissioners for a resolution commending them. Why do healthcare providers need “A resolution clearly stating the county supports and stands behind healthcare providers?”

Elsaesser states that the chief law enforcement officer is “saying you don’t have to obey the law.” Nowhere in Sheriff Wheeler’s open letter to the governor does he suggest at all that we not obey the law. Elsaesser is twisting the facts.

If Elsaesser wants to encourage healthcare workers, of which nothing has yet been required in Bonner County regarding actual COVID-19 hospitalizations, then how about as the hospital board’s president, he can organize a resolution of the hospital board to encourage the healthcare workers rather than asking the commissioners to virtue signal.

SCOTT HERNDON

Sagle