Published: 5/22/2020 6:20:14 AM

Modified: 5/22/2020 6:20:03 AM

This past weekend offered a snapshot of where we are in the pandemic. On Saturday, there were protests at the State House.

The group ReOpenNH led the display with both the protests (no masks, no social distancing) and a coordinated op-ed piece in local papers.

Meanwhile, there were 13 more COVID-19 deaths in New Hampshire and the Strafford County jail reported its first two cases of COVID-19: one staff member and one ICE detainee.

In his opinion, Mr. Manuse, the chair of ReOpenNH, feels the restrictions have been an unnecessary intrusion upon our liberties and this entire pandemic is some sort of political ploy. He states that according to New Hampshire statistics, were more likely to die from an opioid overdose than from COVID-19. He further states that people under the age of 15 are more likely to die from the flu.

Of course, the reality is much more complicated and different from Mr. Manuses beliefs. Anyone can be a viral vector and spread the disease whether or not they experience symptoms. The virus will spread to our most vulnerable through contact with his or her younger loved ones.

He also ignores the fact that the only people who die from an opioid overdose are those who use them recreationally. No one gets COVID-19 intentionally.

The youth in New Hampshire are no different biologically than the youth in Massachusetts or New York. Thats where a mysterious offshoot of COVID-19, called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children is killing some children and hospitalizing about 200 other in the United States alone. So if the disease doesnt prove fatal to our children, the hospital bill might be fatal to the parents.

We need to listen to our doctors advice. They dont get paid for preaching a political agenda and they dont want to prolong their own lockdown restrictions any more than the rest of us.

Our health and our economy are sick, but if we all just take our medicine we will all be back on our feet again.

(Dr. James Fieseher lives in Dover.)

Go here to see the original:

My Turn: It's time to take our medicine - Concord Monitor