Chicago is about to encourage 100,000 members of a lightly vaccinated demographic to come to town for Lollapalooza 2021. An event that, by its nature, makes social distancing nearly impossible and involves plenty of singing and screaming — activities that provide nearly perfect conditions for spreading COVID-19.
While persuading the city to pass on such a money-making event is impossible, one would think Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration would have the common sense to employ such precautionary measures as same-day testing and a masking requirement for everybody.
However, being sensible would be a buzzkill and hurt the profit potential of the event, so count on an increase in the number of COVID cases in the festival’s wake … and the administration’s bewilderment at its source.
Sue Quinn, R.N., Naperville
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Spreaderpalooza
Admittance to this summer’s Lollapalooza event will require a vaccination card or “proof” of a negative COVID-19 test. And thousands of people are expected to be on the “honor system?” No masks will be required for the “proven” vaccinated?
And of course, there will be close scrutiny of “COVID credentials” at the gate.
Give me a break, Lightfoot! I don’t care that these decisions were made back in June; with the Delta COVID-19 variant now rampant, those decisions are moot.
Under current pandemic conditions, do we really want to see tens of thousands of people congregated in extremely close proximity — both on-site and on public transit?
This is insanely irresponsible.
Nicholas Kriho, Cicero
A recipe for violence
Promotions of Chicago Police Department officers based upon merit and in the name of diversity, but not necessarily by test scores. A state’s attorney giving out ankle monitors to violent/armed/repeat offenders.
Witnesses (understandably) not cooperating because of fear of reprisal. CPD officers “standing down” (understandably) because of fear of a lack of support from the city, plus fear of physical safety, termination of employment, being sued or criminally prosecuted for their actions.
Perfect recipe for a bloody summer.
Terry Takash, Bridgeport
Do you still want fewer police?
I’d like to respond to the reasoning of a letter from Ben Levin, published in the Sun-Times on July 18, titled “Spend money on communities, not cops.” Really?
Seeing that Chicago has shootings and killings on a weekly basis, as well as mass shootings resulting in deaths and injuries, does Levin still want to see fewer police?
I’m sure spending money on communities and parks will solve the shootings and put an end to them. Not!
What you need is more police and other resources to battle the war zone in Chicago.
So, Ben Levin, tell me how fewer police will solve anything.
John Moravecek, Naperville