If the saying is true that "In life, timing is everything," then the thinking that went into the timing of the mosquito spraying in Nassau County by the health department must have been "nothing."

After all, after choosing a man-made substance to spray, and announcing it was perfectly safe for use in a wide area, the health department then advised all residents to stay indoors during spraying with windows and doors shut and air conditioners off. It was also recommended that pets coming in from outdoors should be washed and patio furniture and playground equipment be hosed down. Boy, do I feel safe!

And what timing was chosen for the spraying? Obviously, the Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night of a holiday weekend, when many people would be trying to enjoy a long-awaited respite. In fact, many colleges had given their students an extended Columbus Day weekend, so that Nassau County would have many of its students home, who would ordinarily be away at school and out of harm's way. After traveling for hours to get to their homes and community friends, what college students were going to lock themselves in their homes on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night?

The health department surely wasn't thinking of the many commuters who travel home from work on a Friday evening either, since some of the spraying was scheduled for Friday evening at 5 p.m., while these travelers would be on their way home.

We all hope that this spraying will take care of a serious health problem, but there is a chance that spraying will have to be repeated in the spring if the problem persists. If the Nassau County Health Department remains true to form, I'm guessing that any spraying in the spring will be done in Jericho during the Athletic Association picnic, or the Little League parade. Let's all pray that this isn't one more case of the patient surviving the disease, but dying from the operation!

Harriet Mandel