Letters: Be sure to do research on mask ordinances; Going green pays off
Be sure to do research
Mask mandates have become a hot topic both locally and nationally in recent weeks in response to quell the growing pandemic. Local officialdom has touted state regulations as the basis for enacting mask requirements. However, by issuing and/or enforcing such mandates, officialdom may also be accepting liability for any harm or injury caused by, in this case, the wearing of masks in public. This is not legal advice, it is important we all do our research on important matters in these trying times.
Annual mammogram screening important
Regarding the recent editorial “Are Mammograms Worthwhile for Older Women,” readers should be aware of several important facts on this subject. The article notes that U.S. Preventive Service Task Force guidelines do not recommend that women over 74 undergo screening mammography, and that no randomized controlled trials show a benefit for older women. These trials were conducted from the 1960s through the 1980s, and did not include older women. It would be unethical to conduct such a trial now because we know mammograms save lives.
Many other studies, including work by Ellen McCarthy, do show that screening mammography reduces breast cancer deaths in older women. For this reason, among others, Congress does not allow health insurance companies to use task force guidelines to determine what age groups may be reimbursed for breast cancer screening. It is important for readers to know that, despite the article’s comments suggesting some breast cancers regress, there is no evidence of a breast cancer detected by a mammogram ever disappearing on its own.
As for concern about so called “overdiagnosis,” meaning a cancer that would not harm a patient if left alone, our best evidence suggests this accounts for less than 10 percent of all breast cancers. As a woman ages her chances of dying from other causes increases, yet most women don’t know when they will die. It is therefore best to simply follow American College of Radiology guidelines, and have a screening mammogram each year for as long as you are healthy.
Going green pays off
We are faced with multiple crises. COVID-19 must be dealt with. The Climate crisis must also be dealt with now. There are 70 Wildfires in dozens of states, a wind tornado in the Midwest, increasing number and severity of hurricanes. There are two storms in Gulf at same time, and that never happened before.
These abnormal climate events are very costly in lives and property. Colorado’s eastern plains have yielded economic benefits from the renewable energy industry. In 2010, 1,253 megawatts were produced by nine wind facilities. Now another 3,707 megawatts are produced by wind and solar capacity. This industry produced 6,334 jobs, 9.4 billion in investments, 15.2 million lease payments to farmers, 23.1 million tax revenue to local governments.
The Gov. Tom Wolf administration released the 2020 Pennsylvania Clean Energy Employment Report, showing that clean energy is the leading creator of quality jobs in Pennsylvania. This sector added 7,794 jobs in 2017-19, for an 8.7 percent average job growth rate, compared to 1.9 percent average overall job growth in the state. This report shows that investments in workforce training can benefit Pennsylvanians right now and improve livelihoods, the economy and our environment.
In this polarized political environment bipartisan support exists in the House for the Energy Innovation and Dividend Act. This act would put a fee on energy at its source and pay a dividend to all households. The dividend offsets any increased costs to families. The fee will encourage carbon industries to initiate clean energy projects.