Deserving of Legal Immunity?
Legal Immunity
Mitch McConnell have delayed any relief to Americans for months. He demanded legal immunity for corporations who were negligent or reckless with employees and customers. Tying unconstitutional tort “reform” to relief for small businesses affected by the coronavirus is ridiculous and unnecessary. A blanket immunity for everyone punishes the businesses who spent the time and money to protect employees and customers. It rewards bad behavior. We should encourage proper behavior and deter bad behavior.
Just 0.4% of Americans live in nursing homes. However, they account for a staggering 26% of all Covid deaths. Money is no excuse. The Trump Administration sent $21 billion of public funds to nursing homes during this crisis, equal to about $17,000 per resident.
For-profit nursing homes had much higher death rates than others, it points out, citing multiple studies. It notes that the government actually withdrew inspectors and ombudsmen from establishments, on the theory they might bring in the disease. Federal bureaucrats, greedy managers, and stupid lawmakers all have to share the blame, the AARP says in devastating takedown.
The Fatal Wedding
Does everyone deserve legal immunity? For example, at least, seven Washington state nursing home residents with Covid-19 died after staff members attended a 300-person wedding that violated the governor’s coronavirus restrictions. Do they deserve blanket immunity? What about the victims?
The health department is investigating the deaths. Many see a causal link to a Nov. 7 wedding where nursing home staff attendees had tested positive after attending the event. The nurses worked on the units with the dead Covid residents.
The health department had previously said that the wedding was linked to 40 cases of coronavirus and outbreaks at a nursing home facility and a school. The more than 300 guests were asked to get tested and to quarantine.
At the time of the ceremony, Gov. Jay Inslee’s executive order capped wedding receptions at 30 people, according to the Tri-City Herald.
“Our most vulnerable community members — elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic conditions — are especially at risk of complications due to a COVID-19 infection and we must continue to take measures to protect them from this disease. The best way to do that is by staying home as much as possible,” the health department urged.
“Your choice to gather with those outside your household could lead to additional cases of COVID-19 and even death. Please protect those you love, by staying home.”
Consequences
Covid-19 surpassed heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States. We are averaging 200,000 new cases every day. The proportion of Americans who die 22 days after diagnosis of coronavirus is about 1.7 percent. We will continue to lose 3,000 Americans a day for the next 3 months. The number of people with the coronavirus in the United States who have died passed 310,000.
“No one else should have to die at the hands of this silent killer,” said Dr. Linda Bell, South Carolina’s state epidemiologist. “It is within all of our powers to stop COVID-19. As we each wait patiently for our turn to receive the COVID-19 vaccines, let’s keep doing our part by wearing our masks and practicing social distancing.”
