The pattern for our “modern” world of high mobility has been that whatever happens down south will eventually get to Haines; it’s just a matter of time. Well, we need in these trying times to make an exception to that axiom. We have an opportunity as a community to control the northern migration, in this case a killer virus, from landing in Haines. However, to be successful, the leaders and citizens of this community need to bond together to put public health, not business as usual, at the forefront of decision making priorities. Allowing large scale public and/or private projects to proceed knowing that it will bring an insurge of workers from contaminated areas during a global pandemic is literally putting the lives of many members of our community at risk. Thinking that private corporations will monitor themselves to mitigate potential infection to the community is as ludicrous as asking people to “self quarantine” upon arriving in town. Americans feel entitled by self-righteous misconceptions about freedom. Corporations are motivated by profit not concern for public health. (Think Monsanto) The leaders of this community should err on the side of caution and enforce a strict proactive, no-nonsense approach to preventing a contagion from creating havoc on the people of our community. If it were up to me I would shut down the airport and the ferry terminal, isolate, and wait this thing out.
Tom Faverty