Far from over
There are events in the world that we would like to think are over, but they are not. Among them: Covid-19. As we said in our previous columns, we still cannot ignore the presence of the deadly Covid-19.
The situation remains perilous despite the recent declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) that the international health emergency due to Covid has ended and a similar announcement by the government of the United States of America. Cases of infection in many parts of Asia – including Singapore and India – and the rest of the world are experiencing the same rise as we do here in the Philippines – and their governments are planning their next moves.
Last we heard, the positivity rate in our country has reached 26 percent this week. This means that for every 100 persons being tested for Covid infection, 26 would turn out to be positive. This has slightly exceeded the positivity rate when we saw a spike in infections early last year when the Delta variant of the virus surfaced and showed up in our country. This led us to suspect that the subvariant Arcturus is proving to be more contagious.
We were also told that the hospital occupancy rate in the country has slightly increased to 26 percent and that this rate is “safe.” We were also told that most of the recent cases of Covid-19 infection have been either “mild” or “asymptomatic.” There have also been cases where those experiencing “mild” symptoms prefer to skip testing and just go on with their daily routine.
Our view is that this situation is a “red flag.”
We feel that the national government must be concerned that the thinking that Covid-19 infection is no longer fatal and that it is “nothing more than just another case of flu” could be creating collective attitude and behavior which constitute what we might call “complacency.”
We may be taking things for granted, ignoring the fact that “it’s far from over” and that the deadly virus is still in our midst. There are patients still dying from infection by this virus.
We laud the move made recently by several local governments and national line agencies to require the wearing of face masks in public places. We understand that airlines flying to and from the country – as well as domestic flights – continue to make it mandatory for passengers to wear face masks, as well.
The same requirement has been imposed on local land transportation.
In addition, we hope that health agencies and local governments would continue to work hand in hand to make the call louder for people to get their booster shots. It appears that when the fear over the massive infection caused by Covid-19 started to die down, there are a significant number of our countrymen who entertained the option of not getting the third and fourth doses of the vaccine.
As we said in previous columns, collective complacency is a “red flag.”
We need decisive efforts from our health agencies to make sure that this red flag is addressed.
We would like to laud our Health Department for its continuous efforts especially at this time when the country faces serious challenges to our collective well-being.
The officer-in-charge of the Health Department – Acting Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire – has done a good job and continues to do so. We will never forget that she was a face of calm and sobriety during the times when we were locked down and all looked forward to the daily updates on the status of the pandemic in our country. She deserves the applause and respect of our countrymen for a job well done.
Still, the country needs someone at the helm of the agency who is both appointed officially and confirmed. This will enable the head of this crucial department to make important decisions, give firm advice to the President and implement responsive programs to arrest any further spike in infections in our country.
There is one more thing that is far from over.
We are referring to the intense heat that we have been experiencing recently. The occasional afternoon and early morning downpours do not mean our daily bouts with the scorching summer heat are about to end.
Legazpi City registered a record-breaking heat index of 50 degrees Celsius recently. PAGASA said that temperature placed the Albay capital at just two degrees shy of being classified as “extremely dangerous.” Several places in the Visayas have registered heat indexes just one or two degrees lower than what the residents of Legazpi City had experienced.
Let's face it: This will be a long, hot summer. While we encourage everyone to enjoy this time of the year having fun with their families, it will be good to remain prudent. The significantly high temperature brings certain risks to our health. And, not to forget, Covid-19 is still here.
The dangers are far from over. Prudence and caution are our best weapons against them. Let’s mask up and keep ourselves hydrated.
Cases of infection in many parts of Asia – including Singapore and India – and the rest of the world are experiencing the same rise as we do here in the Philippines – and their governments are planning their next moves.