Bonnie Chehames: Protecting nursing home residents and staff is community's role

To The Daily Sun,

Rep. Glenn Cordelli recently wrote an editorial excoriating Carroll County Democrats for attacking the county nursing home staff. Rep. Cordelli, you may want to reread what they wrote, which was to assert that we greatly respect the skill and dedication of the nursing staff. They also stated that the health and safety of nursing home patients is paramount.

Rep. Cordelli states that the federal rules have not yet been issued. President Joe Biden signed an executive order in August that his administration requires all employees in nursing homes to get vaccinated for COVID-19, the latest effort to protect Americans as the delta variant spreads. This is a presidential executive order and binding law.

We recognize the individual rights of county nursing home staff not to be vaccinated. They have the freedom to work at a multitude of other healthcare facilities and venues that do not require vaccines. There is no shortage of jobs in Carroll County or our surrounding region.

New York state plans to deal with potential staff shortages by hiring retired staff, health care professionals licensed outside of the state, recent graduates, and medically trained National Guard. New Hampshire could do likewise to ensure the health and safety of nursing home and hospital patients. The primary purpose of all healthcare professionals is to keep patients and other vulnerable individuals safe.

Rep. Cordelli has it backwards with his assertion that Democrats are utilizing a failed playbook of threatening tax increases. This has traditionally been the role of county Republicans with Mr. Cordelli beating the drums.

It’s time to put politics and arguments of protecting personal freedom aside. Let’s work together to protect patients, hospital staff, our families, loved ones, neighbors and community safe so that we can end the COVID pandemic and get on with our regular lives.

Bonnie Chehames

Tuftonboro