I so appreciate the efforts of thoughtful people in this community who speak for small businesses and try to examine the facts in this difficult time. Durango Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jack Llewellyn speaks for thousands of people when he urges San Juan Basin Public Health to be compassionate and logical when considering how to combat this virus. Economic, educational and social fallout from overzealous shutdowns are as tragic as the threat of disease and death.

Citizens desire to be cooperative and helpful in dangerous circumstances, but we do realize that many of these COVID-19 rules are illegal, immoral and unhelpful. This makes us restive and discontent. We are aware of the deep disconnect between these restrictions and the actual facts of virus spread, frequency and fatality.

We are adults. Encourage SJBPH to enlist our assistance with ideas and solutions. Don’t allow them to dictate arbitrary rules to us. We can all solve this together. We’re not sheep to be herded and penned at will. At this point, we are more like a boiling kettle, about to explode. Nobody wants that kind of pushback.

Let’s work together to find logical real-world solutions to curb this virus. There is actual science out there but alas, it has not yet been used when formulating these rules.

Penny ConstantineBayfield