To the Editor:
[This is the letter by Paul Feiner to which Rob Astorino is responding — Ed.]
I appreciate Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner’s well wishes for my recovery from Covid. I had mild cold-like symptoms and feel as though I’m now fully recovered.
In Mr. Feiner’s public letter to the River Journal on January 2, he adds that I should re-think my “irresponsible” opposition to universal mask and vaccine mandates. I believe it is Mr. Feiner who should re-think his “outdated” position.
Let’s begin with masks. In a leaked email from February of 2020, Dr. Fauci writes, “The typical mask you buy in the drug store is not really effective in keeping out virus.” On December 21, CNN’s Chief Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen stated, “Cloth masks are little more than facial decorations.” And just yesterday, former head of the FDA, Scott Gottlieb said, “cloth masks don’t provide much protection against Covid.”
And in regards to the vaccine mandates, I’ve long believed in personal medical freedom even as I’ve encouraged people, especially those in high risk categories (older, immunocompromised) to talk to their doctors and consider getting vaccinated.
I am vaccinated. 95 percent of adults in New York have at least one shot. I do believe the vaccines help reduce the severity of illness in the individual.
What is now clear, as many studies around the world and real-world data have concluded, is that the vaccines do not prevent infection or transmission as was promised. Far from it. We have more cases today than we did a year ago when we didn’t have the vaccines.
So does it make any sense to fire 34,000 health care workers over this mandate – when we’re facing a hospital staffing crisis – when likely most of these workers have natural immunity? It doesn’t.
We need to advance forward in the battle against Covid. We have the vaccines and effective therapeutics and new understanding of the virus. Holding on to outdated and divisive thinking on mandates as Mr. Feiner is doing is unhelpful. We need to follow the science.
Rob Astorino
Hawthorne
I was censored for saying what I wanted, but I support you Rob (Wondering if this goes through).
Hope you run for Governor! NY needs you as a leader!
Wait… the flooding is coming! I have unleashed the MAGA Posse on free speech on you. Every conservative in the lower Hudson will be flooding you tomorrow on why you censored me. Good luck with your parrot feed. Don’t think your site will do well after this. Sorry. You should have just let it ride. Again, good luck.
Thank you Rob Astorino! The other side cannot admit they are wrong and need to perpetuate the covid fear to keep people under their thumbs and advance their agenda. There is simply no logical argument one can make in support of government mandates about a vaccine that’s not actually a vaccine or masks that don’t work. It a power trip, one to which that many of us are savvy. When did these people lose sight of what makes America great? Freedom of speech, questioning authority and the power of American individualism must reign supreme.
Way to go Rob! I just got over the cold myself. Glad I got it too, because now I have nature’s immunity. Paul means well, I think, but this mindset these people have is so selfish. It’s all talking points. Mass psychosis? Who knows. They all parrot themselves. Paul is my neighbor who does go out in the community and help people. He does, but his politics is awful. Why? Because it’s just parroting the same talking points from March of 2020, which we all know is BS! So, in my opinion, Paul is wrong, you are right, and I hope to greet you as Mr. Governor in 2023. With you at the helm Rob, NY will come back strong by the time your up for re-election. This would give you an easy another 4 years. We need you Rob. You are our leader. You have proven your worth as County Executive in Westchester. You got things done, and you still kept the tax rate under 2% for like 10 years. I hate to say it but Paul is talking to the wind. He could have never done what you did as County Executive and honestly I think it’s time for him to retire. Anyway, best of luck. We will be voting for You! God bless!
Thank you. Your well thought out response is spot-on.