Reopening Georgia is a Grave Mistake

An Open Letter to My Representative

Representative Henson:

I don't know who else to email, as I feel that my voice will not be heard by Governor Kemp. But I feel the need to register some sort of protest with the current plan to reopen Georgia's economy, and, as the representative of my district, I feel you are the one I should contact.

Here are the facts that matter to everyone: current projections show that we have not yet reached our peak of new infections by Covid-19. In fact, in recent days, the projected peak has moved farther and farther away. The reality of the virus has not slowed down to a rate where we will safely be able to decrease our adherence to social distancing guidelines that have proven to be effective when practiced and enforced. And yes, social distancing is inconvenient, and stifling, and infuriating, but it is our only true preventive tool, even accounting for masks and other protective equipment.

If we want to protect all of Georgia, social distancing must not stop. Reopening can and will lead to an increased infection rate, overwhelmed hospitals, and infected medical personnel.

Here is a fact that matters to me: my wife, another one of your constituents, is one of those medical personnel. She's not a doctor or a nurse, but a research coordinator, working for Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She's been given a single cloth mask to wear at work. She has been able to work from home two days a week, but still goes in the other three. A good friend of ours is shipping us a mask that they made, but it's not professional quality.

She doesn't mind going in. She's even proud: some of the studies she has worked with have been directly involved with the ongoing pandemic. She feels like she's contributing something.

I am scared, even though I'm one of the lucky ones: I was hired for a new, entirely remote job two weeks before social distancing began. But I'm not scared for myself-- I'm scared for her.

If we reopen, more cases will be transmitted, more people will go to hospitals, and more medical personnel, like my wife, who are trying with all their ability to stem the tide of cases, will be infected. This will only make things worse.

I do not know if this letter will help. I don't know if there's any action the Georgia legislature can take to stem Governor Kemp's executive powers. I'm just a writer, so I'm using the tools at my disposal.

I hope that you can do something, and I hope that you, and your family, stay safe in this time.