Letters: KC readers discuss sparse Missouri vaccine, Bucs’ good chances and Mike Parson

Vaccine void

My husband and I, a retired physician and nurse, volunteered at the Jackson County COVID-19 vaccination site at John Knox Village this week. The building, called The Pavilion, is perfectly designed for inside waiting lines, with 16 vaccination stations and a distanced post-vaccination observation area. The staff was  organized, efficient, pleasant and ready to go.

But there was a serious problem: This site, which previously vaccinated 1,000 people per day and was ramping up for even more, did not have enough vaccines for new people. There was only enough for those needing second doses. The site had to stop scheduling first doses because the state has not provided enough vaccine to keep up with capacity.

Kansas City will never reach herd immunity without these large-scale vaccination sites. We need to evaluate which facilities can vaccinate the most people and ensure they are properly supplied, instead of providing large shipments of vaccines to hospitals and pharmacies unable to make use of them.

Improperly allocated vaccine shipments will delay the full reopening of our city and ultimately cost lives.

- Karen Gibbons, Prairie Village

 The Bucs have this

I believe Tampa Bay had a tougher road to get into the playoffs than Kansas City, and once in, the Buccaneers had to go on the road and beat three tough teams: Washington, New Orleans and Green Bay. They are more battle-tested to win the Super Bowl than the Chiefs.

The Chiefs have not faced adversity all season. They had home field in the playoffs and a lot of rest and have not had a real test. I think Tampa Bay is peaking at the right time and the Chiefs will have their hands full Sunday.

The Bucs have the greatest of all time in Tom Brady, the greatest tight end in Rob Gronkowski and a plethora of receivers (Scotty Miller, the fastest player in the NFL) and running backs. They also have proved to have the best defense in the playoffs, shutting down Washington, New Orleans and Green Bay.

I have Tampa Bay winning the Super Bowl by seven points, cementing Brady’s legacy as the GOAT.

- Rick Baher, Tampa Bay, Florida

Chant, chop are fine

The Star Editorial Board has taken the position that the Chiefs’ chant and tomahawk chop are offensive to some people and, thus, should be eliminated and replaced with something less offensive, in their opinion. (Feb. 4, 10A, “As the Super Bowl nears, why are the Chiefs still using Native American imagery?”) No consideration is given, however, to the large number of Chiefs fans who have grown up with our team’s traditions and would be offended if these symbols are abolished.

I, for one, am offended that the editorial board thinks it carries the banner for all in speaking out about this issue. The Star does not speak for me or for the thousands of other Chiefs fans who revere and enjoy our traditions. Chiefs officials have consulted with local tribes about this issue over the years, and yet the tribes have not cried loudly for abolition of the practices.

The Star often times forgets there is another viewpoint. I am offended at that.

- Thomas Carrigan, Lenexa

Parson’s duty

Gov. Mike Parson, you have one job now: Do everything you can to keep people alive. We need a caring and competent leader, not a whiny narcissistic ruler. Oh, how terrible that you couldn’t give your speech where you wanted. (Feb. 2, 1A, “Parson’s scolding of House GOP leadership threatens to harm agenda”)

You need to resign. Let someone lead who will accept responsibility and then work to get vaccines soon to as many as possible and encourage everyone to mask and distance. People are getting sick and dying, and you don’t really care, do you?

- Jean Rosenthal, Kansas City

Get ahead

I laud a Wednesday letter writer for supporting those who face an unwanted pregnancy. (12A) However, if this author and others who oppose abortion really want to reduce the numbers of those procedures, they should strongly support sex education and ready access to birth control.

As when dealing with medical issues, prevention is nearly always a better alternative than treating conditions after the fact.

- Robert Powell, Independence

This story was originally published February 6, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Letters: KC readers discuss sparse Missouri vaccine, Bucs’ good chances and Mike Parson."