To the editor:

Referring to COVID-19, the April 30 letter, “We have rights even in a pandemic,” in the Alexandria Times stated that “Some people face substantial risk, including death, while others face significantly less risk.” This is false.

COVID-19 has claimed the lives of people of all ages. Yes, people who are younger or healthier have less risk of death, but less is not none. We are all at risk of being killed by COVID-19.

Whether talking about COVID-19 or the very slow, but steady, climate-driven extinction of life on Earth, it might help to follow the lead of scientists. Most scientists have great respect for that which is not yet known. For example, we do not yet know if a person who has recovered from COVID-19 is immune from relapse. Until we know more, we must assume that no one is safe. Unknown doesn’t mean unimportant.

As a scientist myself, I realize that it is easy for the public to misread science. Scientists are basically required to keep a calm demeanor even while presenting genuinely frightening information. It is easy to mistake this calm for a lack of fear. In fact, the fear is all too real.

-Jonathan Krall, Alexandria