To the editor:

Kudos to the local elected officials representing our towns and counties in the North Country for working diligently together to help allow us to begin Phase 1 of reopening. Too often we don’t appreciate all the work that goes on behind the scenes to make things happen.

I have had the honor of working with some of these individuals to work with the state and county health departments, local hospitals and health care providers to coordinate all of the various actions that had to fall into place to make this happen. Actions included coordinating with each other, with the state and local businesses to make sure that everything fell into place. If you see a local elected official, please say thanks to them. They have put in huge hours of work to help us all out.

Let us all be patient and follow the new guidelines so we can gradually move on to phases 2, 3 and 4.

David G. Welch, MD

Lake Placid