Hawaii has suffered through the last two years and paid the price financially and socially.

We had many telling us what to do, with very little reasons why.

We had those screaming to trust the science, but then support rules and mandates that made no sense. Studies have shown that masks and lockdowns were not effective, but still they pat themselves on the back for blindly following those who were given the ability to dictate how we all lived our lives for two years already.

What we did not have was leadership at any level.

What was our response to this pandemic? Lock everyone up at home, and force us into isolation, or in many cases, overcrowding. They took away the ability to gather for any event and took away in-person learning. They divided the community into groups that blindly do as they’re told, and those who choose to think and pay attention. If you didn’t do like they said, you were labeled and worse. After two years what do we have left?

Yes, people died, and that’s the sad truth of health care and new diseases. More people die daily from issues related to drug use, smoking, drinking, poor diet and suicide.

Politics have no place in health care, and all elected officials and unelected pen-pushers should focus on keeping this county and state running and stay out of health care. Leave that to the professionals who actually know what they’re doing.

Kapena Hill

Wailuku