Why Am I Being Blamed for Covid Lockdowns?
Letters, 12/3/21, Wall St. Journal

As one of those “older voters” Holman W. Jenkins, Jr.
refers to in “Is This a ‘Normal’ Covid Winter?” (Business
World, Nov. 27), I take issue with his depiction of us as
“terrified” of the virus & “unstinting in our willingness
to impose costs on young people for steps that lack any real
benefit.” As if it weren’t enough that, in our golden years
we were forced into lives of seclusion, locked in nursing &
retirement homes with meals delivered to our doors, & told
we must settle for visits with kids & grandkids thru closed
windows for our own good, now Jenkins implies that we were
behind these measures.

Most older folks are more philosophical about life & death
than younger people. We're alarmed at the loss of freedoms
& what that will mean to future generations; appalled at
the costs that'll be passed along to our kids & grandkids;
& deeply disappointed in the politicization of a tragic event.
But we aren't so self-centered & tenacious of life that we'd
sacrifice the future of our kids & grandkids for a few more
months or years in this vale of tears.

Most of us (me, my husband, family & friends) took measures
to protect ourselves so we could continue our lives & avoid
burdening our kids with severe illness or death of their
parents. At no time did we insist that our kids or grandkids
take any measures themselves. The only gatherings we avoided
were the ones in which the younger folk were extremely fearful
of Covid. I've never recommended the vaccine except on a
general basis. I'm not in favor of mandates & wouldn't suggest that

kids be vaccinated, especially if it's done solely to
protect the elderly. Much was done allegedly for the good of
the older people. It was done without our consent or approval.

-- Jane Heffley, Indianapolis
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ALL RESPONSES: 69

Ray Campbell, 1 week ago
Oh, good lord, the whining from the Trumpers is insufferable!
You were asked to wear a little mask and do some simple
social distancing. Nobody asked you to storm the beaches at
Normandy. Be an example for your grandkids & stop your whining.
-----------
Donald Larson, 1 week ago
Not quite.
2.5 million people died in 2020 from causes other than COVID.
They were locked at home, denied last weddings to attend,
reunions, sporting events, music and the family gatherings
that add meaning to life. They died alone in order to
keep them safe.
-------------
Wayne Grabow, 1 week ago
Elderly people in assisted living were confined to their
rooms with standardized, cold meals delivered to their
doors, socially similar to solitary confinement. That's
far more than what you state, Ray; but not a surprise,
given the source. These elderly people have already lived
full lives & never asked that everyone sacrifice for them.
--------------
Steven Miller, 6 days ago
Actually Ray were weren't "asked", we were forced -
slight difference there buddy.
-------------
DOUGLAS DYER, 6 days ago
Oh good lord is right. Talk about whining & insufferable.
You represent the "do what you are told" crowd.
No objectivity, no critical thought, just the same
tired narratives. I suspect you only hope to achieve
Jethro Bodine's academic record.
--------------
PAUL BERGKAMP, 6 days ago
Unfortunately the Covid containment has been politized &
thus poorly articulated, & in cases poorly managed. This
was never about rights, but about duty: our duty to protect
our healthcare system from a massive bubble of disease,

hospitalizations & deaths (recall the graphs early on?).
Just imagine the domino effect on the country if doctors,
nurses, EMT's & facilities crash. Imagine all heart attacks,
accidents, overdoses, treatments, etc. Imagine the cry from
relatives because their "Janes" are suffering or passed
without care. Just imagine if Covid just was left run
loose "to everyone's choice". This is still the big risk.
Ask your doctors (don't make it up please).
I disagree with mandates, but when folks act like children,
they get treated like children. My mask, my vaccine, my care
is my duty for healthcare system and my country that I so
much love. And by the way, we're doing great compared to
any other free countries. Let's get this over with.
-------------
James Wallace, 6 days ago
If the world is gonna beat the pandemic, countries need
policies that promote a basic, but increasingly forgotten,
idea: that our individual flourishing is bound up in
collective well-being.
-------------
Ed Kelly, 6 days ago
Masks don't work.
Just theater and virtue signaling.
-------------
Steven Novotny, 6 days ago
Ignorance is a luxury in abundance. Masks diminish the the
likelihood of transmission. Your limited comprehension
doesn't understand this benefit to the populace. I hope you
read Bergkamp's post. It's spot on. Having been on the front
line as a physician I can tell you Bergkamp is 100% correct.
We had to shut down our local hospitals to trauma & transfers
from outlying facitities many times.
-----------
Kate M, 6 days ago
Masks do work for some things. I haven't had a cold since
this whole thing started. I still go about my day & mask up
where required. Since I always got a cold at least once a
year in the past I can only guess that the masks do help.
I hate the masks but don't miss feeling lousy for 2-4 weeks
with a cold.
-------------
Anita Hand, 5 days ago
Who determines the "parents" and the "children"?
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STAN DIAMOND, 1 week ago
In March 2020, Dan Patrick, Texas’ Republican Lt. Gov. said
that he & other grandparents would be willing to risk their
health, & even lives, in order to get the U.S. back to work
during the pandemic. Not too many seniors took Patrick up on
his offer, nor did he himself follow thru. Senior lives also
matter.
------------
Steven Miller, 6 days ago
Stan give us an example of what you think taking
"Patrick up on his offer" means.
------------
Scott D, 6 days ago
Anyone is free to cower in their basements if they wish.
At this point they'll have lost 2 years off the rest of
their lives. Or you can manage risk & get on with your
life. Trump's Warp Speed Vaccines have been politicized by
Republicans and weaponized by Democrats.
-------------
Steven Schonert, 1 week ago
This grandparent agrees with you.
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STEVEN SALLWASSER, 1 week ago
While as a grandparent I agree to a great extent, it's the
media that is only providing negative info that's scaring
the daylights out of people. Isn't it because they have
no belief in heaven or hell? Segregation is destroying our
country. Suicides have doubled in the last two years.
Isn't it time we stopped the scare mongering?
Have you noticed that it's the liberals that are most scared
of COVID and Conservatives have taken an attitude that God
is in charge & I have very little control if I live or die,
but I still need to do my part in living healthy?
-------------
Lynn McLinden, 6 days ago
This is a great observation by Jane Heffley.
I heartily join her in saying I never wanted the extremely
overdone public policies forced on people by officials'
pushing their emergency authorities to the limit and
sometimes beyond. After the understandable early period,
in which an "abundance of caution" was warranted until
actual data emerged, those in authority should have stepped
back to an increasing extent to reassess what policies were
in the overall best interests of the country.
Most people now recognize that effectively locking down our
economy was unnecessary and has done incalculable harm in
many ways to our nation and its people. The continued efforts
by the Biden admin & others to maintain the now-obvious
politicization of Covid-19 in various ways must end.
Like, yesterday.
-------------
Mary Zahran, 5 days ago
Ever since this pandemic began, I've had the impression that
many of those making decisions and shaping public policy
have the misguided belief that they can find a way to
create a world with zero risk if they just keep trying.
I've been around long enough to know that this just isn't
possible. Just being alive carries a certain amount of
inherent risk. Continuing to shut down our country, stoking
fear in Americans, & demonizing groups of people for what
they do or don't do are not helpful solutions either.
---------------
Donna L Strand, 5 days ago
Life is perilous and staying alive has forever been a bit
of a challenge;)

Chas E Wortz, 6 days ago
Panic seems to be the default mode for snowflakes & the
ruling elites know it & take advantage of it every time
they can. They don't care who gets hurt as long as they
get to expand their power over us.
----------
Mr Hosking, 5 days ago
Thanks for succinctly getting to the heart of the problem.
------------
John C, 6 days ago
It seems that the entire premise of the left is that this
virus isn't endemic & can be controlled/contained. Given
that all history & logic of this disease defies their
assumption, maybe getting the left to “ understand the
science” should be the first step, not the last.
-------------
Anita Hand, 5 days ago
Good luck with "let us reason together". Unfortunately,
they "know" - so no need to think. It's apparently a fairly
common variant of human nature. We must use our superpower,
prayer.
-------------
James Wallace, 6 days ago
I turn 68 next week, & am insulin dependent type 2 diabetic.
I'm also a retired family doctor. I disagree with the author
of this letter. I do think immunization should be mandated
to protect the older citizens of this country. That's not
selfish; to risk a cohort of people because you are 'free'
to reject a vaccine is the epitome of selfishness. Blame me
if you wish, but we immunize for a reason...it's good science
& accepted that regarding global health, immunizations are
one of the best things to happen to the human population ever.
-------------
Anita Hand, 5 days ago
Why is the flu vaccine not mandated?
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Richard Sebulsky, 6 days ago
very true. from the beginning I've stated that it's my
responsibility to protect myself; not yours!!
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Warren Beeton, 6 days ago
"very true. from the beginning I've stated that it's my
responsibility to protect myself; not yours!!"
Do you also say that you can break school zone speeding
laws & threaten the lives of others? You’re saying exactly
that for COVID.
------------
lewis guignard, 6 days ago
Warren,
I don't believe Richard is saying any of those things at
all. For you to make those arguments tells one that you're
either incapable of following the logic of a statement to
a conclusion or that you have a political agenda for which
you need to make irrational statements to support.
Or both.
-------------
Warren Beeton, 6 days ago
I don't believe Richard is saying any of those things at
all. That's exactly what Richard means -- that his duty
is only to himself, & if he infects others because he
refuses to mask or vaccinate, that's their problem, not his
------------
Steven Miller, 6 days ago
Warren,
If masks & vaccines work so well what do you care what
Richard does. If they don't work why are you so bent on
forcing everyone to use/get them?
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Michael Meriwether, 6 days ago
Don't use logic on warren. It doesn't work.
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Kelly Winnett, 6 days ago
Our duty is to protect ourselves. I'm sorry you think it's
someone else’s responsibility to protect you.
-------------
RONALD OLSZEWKI, 6 days ago
I often hear from people such as the above writer that if
people would just follow the rules, this would all just go
away quickly. There's no evidence that we can eliminate the
disease. It was & is being tried throughout the world & yet
we continue to have surges. Lockdown & isolation slow the
spread, which in other word extends the length of time of
the pandemic. It doesn't in any way stop. Some, like the
above should stay isolated.
"Do you also say that you can break school zone speeding
laws & threaten the lives of others? You’re saying exactly
that for COVID."
Do you say we should keep students home because the
speeding laws may be broken?
-----------
Warren Beeton, 6 days ago
"Do you say we should keep students home because the
speeding laws may be broken?"
I expect drivers to observe the speed limit because they
have a responsibility not to endanger the lives of our kids.
Do you not expect citizens to also follow public health
measures such as mask wearing & vaccination so they don't
risk infecting others, thereby jeopardizing their health &
safety? Or do you find this question too difficult to confront?
---------------
Ed Kelly, 6 days ago
Masks don't work.
Why is this fact so difficult to accept?
------------
Michael Varney, 6 days ago
Right!...except that they do. Why do you think there was
no influenza last year? Because Covid "crowded it out"?
They aren't perfect, nothing is...even vaccines & prior
illness. It's but a part of the mitigation process & not
an inconsequential one.
If you are soooooo sure masks are useless at inhibiting the
transfer of disease.....make sure you instruct your surgical
team not to wear them next time you have a procedure.
------------
DOUGLAS DYER, 6 days ago
You are confusing your belief system with facts. Studies
show that cloth masks provide no protection.
--------------
Steven Novotny, 6 days ago
Spun Melt Blown polyester fabric masks do significantly
diminish transmission of particles. This is what the medical
profession uses.
------------
Steven Novotny, 6 days ago
Jeez. Once in my life I agree with Warren. The 7th seal
has been broken.
-------------
Suzan Wilson, 1 week ago
Many people are potentially vulnerable to covid & other
contagious conditions: most of us have family members,
friends, even ourselves - who are "immune-compromised" by
autoimmune diseases, cancer treatments, genetic conditions,
etc. This isn't new, it's a fact of life for many!
Sometimes it's transitory other times lifelong. What IS new,
is this notion that EVERYONE needs to take various measures
to protect "vulnerables" including people who "can't" (or
won't) be vaccinated. This is effectively making everybody
responsible for all conceivable vulnerabilities. It's
ineffective, almost silly. In my experience medically vulner-
able people have ALWAYS taken measures to protect ourselves.
Our family and close friends create "personal pods". We
avoid crowds, use medical grade masks, etc. HOWEVER, we DO
NOT EXPECT everybody else to do it "for" us. We're happy
to see them more free, less vulnerable, & HOPE we too can
join their ranks someday. Rather than the opposite.
-----------
Thomas Villa, 1 week ago
Unfortunately, our public health response to the pandemic
was politicized from its early days, perhaps most vocifer-
ously by those claiming to "follow the science," a mantra
they use to bully others who may have different circumstances
or personal factors to consider in the benefit-risk assess-
ments we all must make. Look closely and you'll see that
dividing us into "vaccinated" v. "unvaccinated" or "healthy"
v. "vulnerable" are little more than new labels for the
progressive's typical divisors of "oppressed" & "oppressor."
------------
Steve Gokorsch, 5 days ago
"OK Boomer" is a refrain often heard. Apparently Boomers
who are now aging are indeed responsible for the world as
we know it. However is wasn't Boomers who locked down the
nation. Let's be honest, it was the politicians WE elected
who reacted so irrationally AND they were supported by the
Media. Great letter Jane. Thanks for the insight.
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Roland Meisner, 5 days ago
She's right, who cares if Jane remains in her vale of tears.
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Patrick Bryant, 5 days ago
Very well said, as a member of the seniors group I agree.
Unfortunately politicians and their bureaucratic overlords
relish fear and a crisis. It gives them an opportunity
to grab more power. It isn't about science at all, it's
all about power. The speech from Murrow that stated that
"we're not descended from fearful men" is no longer true
in the West. We're a nation of fearful men and women.
Western civilization is driven by fear with no sense of
proportional risk. Now that the military leadership is
infected with fear & wokeness, my only fear is for our
freedom. NH motto "Live free or die!" is no longer relevant
to the vast majority of Americans.
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ROBERT S WILLIAMS, 5 days ago
Amen. As a person in her 80s, I agree wholeheartedly! Since
I just don’t trust others (or expect them to protect me),
I got vaxxed plus “boosted” to protect myself (it's beyond
me to understand why others don’t make the same decision.)
the Missus
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Greg Brown, 5 days ago
Indiana (& most of fly-over country) remains a redoubt of
(bipartisan) decency. - Take THAT, Brandon
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Mr Hosking, 5 days ago
Very well said. The irrational fear & tendency to impose
draconian & illogical mandates has been prolonged in
reliably blue states (Washington, Oregon, Calif., NY NJ
etc) which seems to imply the issue is more a matter of
politics than age.
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Debi Nicolas, 5 days ago
Great piece. Thank you for writing this as I've found the
same with many older Americans. Sadly, my elementary
children remained masked all day at school in the name of
protecting the elderly, despite low transmission & high
vaccination in the community. Anyone who opposes such
views is accused of being selfish & ostracized. I worry
about what we've done to our kids. I especially worry about
minority kids - who were often far behind before this virus
- unable to catch up with what was lost during the pandemic
(oh the hypocrisy given the BLM movement). The social
repercussions are yet to come.
------------
robert browder, 5 days ago
I call the response to this virus the 3S’s: Shame, Shot, or
Shun. (Disclaimer: I worked to receive the vaccination as
soon as possible, I’m in the older cohort, by no means am
I anti-vax). Information should be readily available & not
restricted so that individuals can make a choice. Mandates
aren't the way out of the virus unless authorities go door
to door with enforcers. The most ignorant actions from the
young are requiring people they come into contact with to
be vaccinated even though health authorities say that
unvaccinated & vaccinated can spread the virus equally well.
Fauci & Birx with their 2 weeks to flatten the curve was
the action I agreed with but it has never ended. Travel
restrictions to the US while allowing tens of thousands to
cross the southern border is truly epitome of insane policy.
“When in danger, fear, or doubt, run in circles, scream &
shout”.
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James H, 6 days ago
As a non-minority person over 65, based on what I read in
the mainstream media, literally everything that happens in
the world today is your fault.
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J Seders, 6 days ago
Madame, I'm so with you. While just past the first rung of
the age for concern, & in general excellent health, I never
did, & never would ask for my kids to sacrifice themselves
for me. Your piece was excellent. You get a Bravo!
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Terry Oxley, 6 days ago
Well said & very likely a consensus of older Americans.
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CHRIS STINNETT, 6 days ago
This woman expresses my views precisely. Thank you, WSJ,
for publishing this well-written letter. Connie (on hubby's
account)
-----------
John Brewer, 6 days ago
Death is inevitable, Covid is only one of many causes.
Vaccination significantly decreases Covid death but not
transmission which limits the value of mandatory vaxx.
Evidence is lacking that catching Covid from a vaccinated
person will be any less severe than from a nonvaccinated
person. The evidence suggests Covid will follow the pattern
of influenza, many variants & short term benefits for
vaccines requiring regular boosters.
People afraid of Covid should self quara5ntine & follow all
the prevention protocols to decrease their chance of death
by Covid. Those who don't vaccinate should be willing to
accept responsibilty for death from Covid, both their own
& of any who they infect, perhaps unknowingly.
------------
JANE ANTLEY, 6 days ago
Great letter! The seniors I'm in contact with have echoed
your opinions over these last two years. It's not our
seniors who are fearful & freaking out. The most fearful
& intolerant of any risk I've encountered have been women
in their 40s & 50s.
----------
DENNIS BROWN, 6 days ago
I agree with you Jane, I told my daughter & her cousins at
the time that the fact that I'm at risk was my problem,
not theirs. I went on to say that the fact that I needed
to be around people less in no way meant they had to stay
shut in as well.
-------------
Karen Maki, 6 days ago
Bravo. My sentiments exactly.
-----------
kim wallace, 6 days ago
RIGHT ON JANE!!! I completely agree. (I'm 66.) I've always
felt it was a selfish policy to lockdown & mandate vaccines
especially since young people are rarely affected with
serious disease. The price to society has been unreasonable
& unfair to many.
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ROGER ROTHENBERGER, 6 days ago
Wells spoken and correct (I am nearly 80)
-----------
Melissa Kauth, 6 days ago
Agree completely, Jane.
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J Crowley, 6 days ago
Fit the demographic & will take precautions as I believe
necessary. But if I have to choose between living an
extra 10 years in a complete bubble or taking some careful
risks & hugging my grandkids, then I'll be hugging the
grandkids - briefly, & all masked.
----------
Judy Harmon Smith, 1 week ago
Well said, Jane! I totally agree. -- Early boomer
------------
JEROME PETRUK, 1 week ago
The average reader of the WSJ isn't one to call for massive
shutdown measures for a virus. So it follows that this
letter & the other responses here also don't favor shutdowns.
But the readership response of more collectivist publications
was overwhelmingly in favor of giving every power, right, &
dollar that the govt said it needed...as long as it wasn't
theirs.
----------
Fred Douglas, 1 week ago
I'm not sure I fit the demographic, but of of those I know
that clearly do we’re never in favor of these lockdowns &
various other restrictions & requirements & are vehemently
against mandates.
-----------
Arthur Willows, 1 week ago
I'm 80, & know a bunch of other seniors, so will cast a vote
here.... I don't know anyone who fits Jenkins' prescription
of 'older voters'. It's really silly to fuss about COVID,
without a rational comparison to the collateral damage
caused by public policies that harm families, depress
healthy as well as sick seniors, marriages, children, jobs,
small businesses, education, etc..
-----------
K Wills, 1 week ago
Speak truth to power!
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Wayne Grabow, 1 week ago
At age 75, I second everything you said, Jane.
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David Weisz, 1 week ago
Agreed, as one of those early baby boomers. And, having
lived in some sketchy places (some requiring multiple
vaccinations) with security concerns, for a good portion
of my life, the threat of Covid seems to me to be a trifle.
-----------
Thomas Meier, 1 week ago
Most older folks...
I'm not sure it it's most. Just as age only brings wisdom
if you're the sort of person who's inclined to cultivate it
many old people are the same callow self-centered beings
they were when young.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-lockdown-old-elderly-young-vaccine-mandate-11638488399

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