Letter about Fillmore County’s claim to shame…
To the Editor,
Last week the New York Times said that Fillmore County, Minn., is the hotspot for COVID in the United States. That is some claim to fame. We weren’t mentioned for our beautiful countryside or for our kind people, but for something dark and avoidable. We have had the most COVID cases per capita in the entire United States… which I will remind you has the highest number of cases in the entire world.
I have underlying conditions and am very careful about following safety protocols, but I am astounded by the lack of face masks everywhere I go here.
I’m not sure how accurate these anecdotal stories are, but I heard there was a recent wedding in Greenleafton and 71 people contracted COVID there, and a funeral in Harmony where 21 people caught COVID. I also heard the numbers are high in our schools and there is a rumor that the football players in the high school are not getting tested because they don’t want games canceled.
Everyone I know that has gotten breakthrough infections have been horribly sick, but because they were vaccinated, they survived and none went to the hospital.
There are FACTS out there, folks. The vaccine has been administered to many millions of people in the world, IT IS SAFE!
At least wear a mask and care about your neighbors. I don’t understand what the big deal is.
Come on neighbors, be responsible and do the right thing. This will never end until you do.
Robbie Brokken
Harmony, Minn.
Theresa Swanstrom says
I read the article in the New York Times and it does not state that Fillmore County, MN is THE covid hotspot of the USA or MN for that matter. However, the article does state that Fillmore County NEBRASKA has a very high covid rate at the moment. Did you see something I didn’t see? Do you have a screenshot of the claim? No need to make things out to be worse than they are, there is already enough fear in people’s lives.
Theresa Swanstrom
Anthony McConnell says
Well, the New York Times. By-doggy! Well, it’ll be a might hard to confirm that bit of knowledge. You must be one of the two subscribers to that paper. (The other died when President Trump was elected). I have a super difficult time thinking Fillmore County MN had the highest rate per capita in the country. If it did, I’m sure it was only for a few hours. What you don’t mention is that the number of hospitalizations and deaths has not increased over this same period.
I’m not trying to troll you Madame. Can science prove the existence of God? Not yet, and every believer out there doesn’t care. So when you try and ‘shame’ people, you might as well run into your nearest Lutheran Church and go all Nietzsche on them and yell ‘God is Dead’. You know how many minds you’ll change? It’s the same with masking and vaccinations. Whatever belief they hold and you feel to be foolish and shameful, it’s not going to change anyone’s mind. As soon as people realize this, we can move on.
Oh-and being ‘Shamed’ by the NYT’s in this part of the country, is probably a point of pride among most.
Monica J. says
This is EVERYTHING. THANK YOU for saying this!