Welcome to our weekly column in which a topic of interest, piece of news, relevant opinion, or general request for feedback is presented. We’ll offer the topic du jour and accompanying question, and you have the opportunity to respond with your thoughts.
Simply fill out the form below. A collection of each week’s responses will appear in the following week’s column.
View responses on Covid, Omicron & Maryland Hospitals
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Please let us know your thoughts!
This week’s Feedback Friday topic is:
$4.7M Paid to County Employees to Get Vaccinated
Recently, the office of Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman announced the results of the County’s employee vaccine incentive program.
The County implemented the program in September, requiring eligible employees to submit proof of vaccination to qualify for a $1,000 incentive payment. Of the 5,936 county employees who were identified as eligible, 4,781 in total had obtained their vaccination to qualify for the incentive by November 30th.
The incentive received funding support via the county’s American Rescue Plan, with $4.7 million paid out in two rounds to employees who submitted vaccine verification. Baltimore City announced on December 7th that their vaccinated employees will be offered the same benefit.
Our questions to you:
Do you think this is fair spending of taxpayer dollars?
Do you believe government employees should be paid a substantial incentive to get their Covid vaccination?
Should vaccine incentive programs extend to the public?
Please share your thoughts by filling out this form.
We asked you about Covid, Omicron & Maryland Hospitals and you responded. Here is a sampling of reader responses. To read more, click here.
Although I believe that the media has contributed significantly to public alarm over the virus, I do know that the COVID-19 virus does spread very rapidly and is very dangerous, leading to death in 1-3 percent of cases. I have had friends who became seriously ill and had to be hospitalized, and some have died in the hospital. In many cases, it is very difficult to obtain preventive treatment and early-stage effective treatment, in both vaccinated and unvaccinated people who have tested positive for the virus, which results in more hospitalizations. Even worse, many hospitals do not administer the treatments that are known (but not widely known) to save lives and, at lease, minimize time spent in the hospital. Therefore, I am very concerned about the inconsistency in medical advice and treatment, public behavior to reduce virus spread, and increasing divisiveness on the entire situation and the threat of global controls.
Carol Moyer, Riva
Very serious cause of death that can be prevented. Misinformation kills. Should charge unvaccinated for health care/hospitalization due to Covid. Really absurd reaction to shot. It's prevention, not politics!
Christine Spain, Annapolis
