Letters: Freedom isn't free when it comes to vaccination. DeWine should sign concealed carry bill.

Freedom to be unvaccinated not so free - it comes with 'enormous' cost

While the human cost of the COVID-19 pandemic has been staggering, and its emotional toll on health care workers unimaginable, the economic cost to the health care system has been enormous, as well. Yet, a significant portion of the billions of dollars spent on hospital care could have been avoided.

More: "Doctors and nurses crying after their shifts," CMO says. 'Health care heroes' need support

According to the Health System Tracker, a publication of the Peterson Center on Healthcare and the Kaiser Family Foundation, “there were a total of 690,000 vaccine-preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations form June through November 2021” with each of those cases costing an average of $20,000. That equals 13 billion, 800 million unnecessarily spent dollars that will come from taxpayers or insurance rate payers.

In the end, those claiming the freedom to be unvaccinated are doing so at an enormous cost to others. It gives “freedom isn’t free” an entirely new meaning.

Chuck Ardo, Lancaster

More: How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch

DeWine urged to uphold Second Amendment and sign concealed carry bill

I am writing with regard to a Dec. 28 Dispatch editorial published in the Canton Repository "Lawmakers hellbent on making gun violence worse."

More: Our view: Hellbent lawmakers are doing 'something' about gun violence – making it worse

In the "world of rules" you refer to, needing a license to drive a car, hunt deer, and take fish from Ohio waters, I fully agree with, as license fees help pay the costs of maintaining roads and funding the ODNR to keep our state a viable place for wildlife to flourish, while giving the residents who wish to participate an environment to do so. It doesn't require a constitutional obligation to do so, either.

Regarding the concealed carry law that awaits the governor's signature, we must realize that the right to defend ourselves is granted by the Second Amendment to the Constitution. It is clearly stated that this right "shall not be infringed" - period.

More: Concealed carry, guns in schools: Two major gun bills win approval in Ohio House

Any need for a license will not be adhered to by those who have bad intent. The law-abiding citizen who is only wanting to have a chance of surviving a situation where his/her life may be in danger is no threat to anyone other than the "bad guy."

I highly urge the governor to sign this bill into law.

Randy J. Lindower, New Philadelphia

So many people have guns, it's no wonder homicide rates are up

With every man, woman and child having access to one or more guns, why should there be a question as to why homicides have risen in Columbus and the U.S.?

More: Amelia Robinson: Instead of celebrating Christmas, far too many are 'dying by the gun'

The actions of many of our elected officials explains why instruments searching for intelligent life are pointed toward the sky.

John Lindamood, Columbus

Letter writer got it wrong: Proper ID already required for voting

I am a vaccination card supporter (referencing Dec. 26 letter to the editor "Do vaccination card advocates support proper ID for voting?") and also support proper ID for voting.

More: Letters: Common sense needed about COVID-19 vaccines. Ohio Republicans need to shape up.

The problem is that William Kloss forgets we already have proper identification for voting: at the voting venue they compare my signature with the one on file when I registered as well as asking other questions about my address, etc.

If I vote by mail I have to submit my name, address, signature, date of birth and either part of my Social Security number or my driver's license number. So showing a driver's license to vote would not add anything, and of course, not everyone has a suitable license. There is no need for anything else.

Martin J. Williamson, Worthington

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Freedom to refuse vaccine comes with enormous cost