Stakes are high with the J&J vaccine

The Baltimore Sun Editorial Board did well to support transparency in public health while also acknowledging the likely rise in vaccine hesitancy among already hesitant populations (“Johnson & Johnson: Pause may be warranted, but panic over vaccines is not,” April 14).

However, there is more at stake with the Johnson & Johnson pause than just heightened vaccine hesitancy. The convenience and accessibility of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine makes it the most ideal solution to immunize those in hard-to-reach communities, those who can’t miss an extra day of work and even those who simply don’t want to deal with the hassle of two injections. Therefore, the temporary loss of the effective single dose shot will likely also result in a potentially harmful pause in vaccination rates among those already planning or willing to be immunized.

So, where do we go from here?

The reality is that the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being paused in an effort to maintain public safety and scientific transparency. Now, we need to attempt to identify the consequences of this choice and create solutions to them.

A 2016 study on vaccine uptake suggested that there are five determinants of vaccine coverage: access, affordability, awareness, acceptance and activation. In the wake of the Johnson & Johnson pause, the focus should be on ensuring continued convenience and access of a vaccine to those who are currently willing to be immunized. Second, promoting transparency and awareness of the risks and benefits to all available vaccines and, finally, enhancing vaccine acceptance through education and the guidance of community leaders.

Alexis Mann, Baltimore

The writer is a doctoral candidate in the molecular microbiology and immunology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University.

Directive on low-level offenses goes too far

Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby makes a persuasive case in defending her policy of not prosecuting low-level criminal offenses (“Baltimore state’s attorney: A year ago, I stopped prosecuting low-level offenses. Here’s why — and what happened,” April 19). I don’t disagree with the policy. But I do disagree that Ms. Mosby should be able to decide which crimes (as defined by legislature) she will prosecute.

Ignoring the law is unacceptable. If the law is bad, change it or rescind it. We have just been through four years of an authoritarian presidency, which should prove to us how dangerous it is to accept as legal that which the legislative branch of government has designated as illegal but is unwilling to enforce. What’s next? Will we stop prosecuting property crimes? Assaults? Rape? Is this Ms. Mosby’s prerogative?

Our elected legislators need to stop this power grab and address whatever changes may be needed through legislation.

Larry Williams, Towson

New motto: The city that smells like crème brûlée

It’s not often I get a chuckle out of a tragedy (“Three-alarm fire rips through Domino Sugar storage shed, enters Baltimore refinery,” April 20) — and with apologies to Domino Sugar — but when I read the line “Despite the smoke and the heavy aroma of crème brûlée …” I had to laugh a little.

Blair Adams, the Baltimore City Fire Department spokeswoman, may have been correct about there being no concerns for air-quality issues, but I bet a lot of people were thinking about dessert!

Denise Lutz, White Marsh

Proof that a mandatory AED can save a life

We read with interest your story on the successful life-saving efforts by Loyola Blakefield’s training staff as well as two doctors of freshman lacrosse defenseman Peter Laake (“Loyola Blakefield lacrosse player doing OK after on-field scare on Friday,” April 17). What made the save possible was the presence on site of an automated external defibrillator (AED) and what assured the presence of an AED on site was the Maryland law passed in 2006 mandating the presence of an AED at all scholastic sports events.

Thanks to your reporter for mentioning Louis Acompora, another freshman lacrosse goalie whose death in 2000 from the same cause, commotio cordis, spurred legislation across the country mandating AEDs at athletic events for this very reason. Because of such legislation, more positive outcomes from commotio cordis, such as the one described here, are possible.

Henry Jampel, Towson, and Mary Newman, Wexford, Pennsylvania

The writers are, respectively, chair and president of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.