Covid-19: Flatten the curve
ENHANCED community quarantine (ECQ) is designed to flatten the curve of the ghastly Covid-19. The horrible threat is real because we have the unseen enemies that lurk in our midst.
Medical experts believe that Covid19 is more infectious and it is two or three times faster than the ordinary virus when it comes to transmission.
With the recent development, our doctors now could be specific on the severity and lethality of the impact of Covid-19. Pharmaceuticals discovering the vaccine for this highly contagious virus are working overtime and expect that the cure could be out in mid 2021.
As a third-world country, the Philippines has a weaker health system that is why our government is appealing to its people to subject themselves to enhanced community quarantine to prevent rapid human to human transmission.
Enhanced community quarantine runs counter to the cultural traits of the Filipinos. We are interactionists and we cannot pass a day missing our friends, our social groups, our religious brothers, or our “kapehan” partners.
With ECQ, we have to change our cultural outlook. A large group should be avoided. The barangays have already issued a quarantine pass. Only one member in the family is allowed to go out to buy the basic home necessities. Grocery stores are limiting the buyers inside and those waiting outside the line are in proper physical distancing.
We are challenging our public market supervisors to make a proper choreography in the fishmeat-vegetable section. It takes time but buyers should also follow the carousel movement following the five-pace distance between the buyer and the seller. This may be awkward at the start but with proper implementation, this could be done.
The public market needs focus. Physical distancing is not observed even in the entrance. Many are still smoking and drinking. Spitting on the floor is a common practice. It is hard to give a higher rating to our public markets when it comes to public distancing.
If ECQ doesn’t work effectively, we fear that our government through military solution will be obliged to impose what should be done at gun point. We don’t like this scenario but this could be an option to fight effectively Covid-19.
Senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with pre-existing illnesses should stay at home. Our barangay health workers should go around to profile their status. They should be provided with medicine and barangay nurses should have regular visitation.