ID requirement will discourage vaccinations

Earlier this year, Maryland was off to a slow start with its vaccination implementation and trailed most other states with distributing its weekly allotment of vaccines. However, vaccinations have picked up significantly within the last month or two with the state at parity with the vaccination averages across the country (“Maryland’s COVID positivity rate dips below 4% as 1.9 million are fully vaccinated,” April 28). However, there are concerns of reports of slowing vaccinations rates, and it may be partially attributed to the unnecessary requirement of a state issued ID to enter state run vaccination sites.

On my first vaccination appointment, I was momentarily barred entry from the Timonium Fairgrounds vaccination site by a sheriff until I could produce my state-issued ID, which was a driver’s license. This was, perhaps, an initial precaution to ensure that younger people weren’t jumping ahead of older people in getting vaccinated. However, once other groups were permitted and eventually all people over age 16 eligible, this seemed an odd requirement. In addition to this being a bit intimidating for people who may be undocumented, millions of American citizens over the age of 18 also lack government-issued licenses or photo identification. This group may include the elderly, disabled, homeless, poor, college students, urbanites without need of a car, etc.

According to separate studies by the Brennan Center and the American Civil Liberties Union, approximately 11% of adult Americans lack a government-issued ID.

That estimate doesn’t include the portion of the estimated 11-to-13 million undocumented immigrants in the United States who may also lack a government-issued ID. Further, 15% of 17-to-20-year-olds and 11% of 21-to-24-year-olds lack any photo ID. So if our vaccination efforts are flagging, I suggest we carefully examine barriers to vaccination. It may not simply be that people don’t have a car to drive to the vaccination site, they may not be allowed in without a license for a car they do not have.

The purpose of a driver’s license is to drive a motor vehicle. We shouldn’t need it to get vaccinated. In the wise words of Angie, the health care worker I spoke to at Timonium Fairgrounds, all she needs is an arm.

Marie LaPorte, Reisterstown

Post office lives up to its unofficial title of ‘snail mail’

When I collected today’s mail, I found a bright blue envelope and noticed my cousin’s return address. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it and found a charming birthday card. The only issue is that my birthday was Feb. 14. I immediately checked the envelope and, clearly printed to the left was a Feb. 9 cancellation date in Jacksonville, Florida.

On April 2, I mailed my buddy a check. Not only do we live within the same ZIP code, I could walk to his house in about 15 minutes. I mailed the letter from our only local post office. He has yet to receive it.

Since the advent of email, we have derogatorily referred to the U.S. Postal Service as “snail mail.” Punctuality is relative, but this is so inexcusable. Bills, invitations, medications. Even junk mail deserves better. I can’t remember such a high percentage of tardy delivery. I don’t believe it’s lethargy or incompetence on the part of postal workers. I’m sure most take pride in their work, but they’re hamstrung.

Inept Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, one of the few remaining Donald Trump sycophants still retaining office, was appointed last June (“Maryland congressional Democrats call out U.S. Postal Service leaders as constituents continue to face mail delays,” Feb. 4). Mr. DeJoy banned overtime (now there’s a morale booster for you), forbid late or extra trips to deliver that day’s mail, removed local mailboxes and destroyed perfectly working high-speed letter sorters.

All of this, many believe, was in order to suppress the Joe Biden vote last November. And it likely worked to some extent. No coincidence that last Aug. 13, Mr. Trump readily admitted on the Fox Business Network that he undermined the USPS to make it harder to vote by mail-in ballots. When Mr. DeJoy began running the show, the abysmal performance began.

I called my cousin to thank her for the card and explain why she hadn’t heard from me earlier. I left her with this piece of advice: A birthday card sent by email is received in about a second. A birthday card sent by the U.S. Postal Service is received in about a season.

Joe Pachino, Baltimore