The CDC and other experts correctly predicted that if enough people did not get vaccinated, more dangerous variants of COVID would evolve and thrive. Now it is again necessary to utilize social distancing and masks to protect our community.

Mayor Dickey, the council and the town staff are to be commended for doing the right thing in spite of misguided protests from a very loud minority of residents. They are being manipulated by political groups that deny science and medicine. That is senseless.

We all want this to end, but it is obvious that just ignoring COVID will not make it disappear. Let’s work together to defeat this crisis, as we have done in the past with other communicable diseases.