Next, next holidays

Had the three wise men lived today, they would not have chased the brightest star of nights to meet the baby in the manger.

Because you know, there’s a pandemic. And the quarantine restrictions would have made things more difficult for all of them.

There’s a travel restriction, too. Camels would have been banned on roads.

That family from Nazareth would not have let them in. Or they themselves would have been turned away by the owners of the farm animals with which they shared their bed of hay.

Angels singing carols would not have made it in the background. There would not have been much rejoicing.

The spread of Christianity — like the lives of many this year — would have been delayed, if not stalled, along with the birthday celebrations canceled and the graduation rites forced to be held online.

That would have been a bummer. Well, we’ve been living a bummer of a life this year. Chances are, things will remain the same for at least half of the next. Or until an effective vaccine against the coronavirus comes out and is distributed cheaply and widely.

For now, forget about the holidays. Celebrations are restricted this year. That is if you still want to make it to 2021 alive or free of the virus.

Christmas parties are limited. Large gatherings are banned.

The government’s declaration of an extension of the general community quarantine ( GCQ) until 31 December was pushed by health experts. Local government units (LGU) were quick to heed this advice, which was made official by President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night.

The President did not remove the National Capital

Region ( NCR) among the areas still under GCQ. The same quarantine restriction is in place in Batangas,

Lanao del Sur and Davao del Norte, and the cities of Iloilo, Tacloban, Iligan and Davao. The rest of the country will remain under the most lenient modified

GCQ (MGCQ).

We would not be able to celebrate the holidays as much as we did before, but having a very limited number of areas still being monitored for contagion is the best Christmas gift we’ll ever receive this year.

No surefire way of beating COVID-19 is in sight right now. Except perhaps for keeping ourselves on our toes each time we go out.

The government is repeating the procedures. Wear a mask. Wash our hands. Don’t go out unless it’s necessary.

These are not the government’s own solutions. The protocols came from the local and international experts who see these protocols as an effective way to delay, if not avert, the spread of the coronavirus.

Vaccines are expected to be delivered in the second half of next year. Earlier than that would be a miracle.

We still don’t have the money to purchase the 80 million jabs that the government said would make herd immunity possible.

So, what do we do now?

Cancel your celebrations.

Then double the fun next year when all the haze brought by the virus is clear.

Because by then, there’s a reason to celebrate life twice over.

We’ve all experienced death this year. Yours, mine, our friends and neighbors, even our enemies.

The long wait will be worth it. But save yours and your loved ones first.

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There’s a reason to celebrate life twice over. We’ve all experienced death this year. Yours, mine, our friends and neighbors, even our enemies.

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Well, we’ve been living a bummer of a life this year. Chances are, things will remain the same for at least half of the next.