We are at war .. yes we are …
The enemy is not the usual armed men with guns and bombs. We are fighting something so small that it is invisible to the naked eye, yet so fierce and dangerous it could kill millions. We are fighting a VIRUS, a novel one, that it took the whole world by surprise. People are caught off guard and the minute enemy has brought every nation, great and small, to its knees. Leaders scampered to contain it, but as of now, the world is still reeling in its ferocity.
While the world boasts of its advance scientific knowledge and technology, COVID-19 shows that the best way to conquer it is with something basic, and that is preventing its transmission.
Because it is a virus, it has the characteristics of staying in a living host for a certain period of time. Hence, this is the reason of the 14-day quarantines and lockdowns imposed by the government to prevent people from acquiring it.
Arming ourselves with knowledge that COVID 19 virus is in droplets and can be transmitted when the infected person sneezes, coughs, or simply talks, is the key in keeping ourselves away from the virus. Making our body strong by eating balance diet combined with regular exercise is very important in fighting the Big C. The mandatory wearing of face masks and face shields is imposed to prevent inhalations of the virus. The frequent washing or sanitizing of the hands also prevents transmission when touching a surface with droplets and later on touching the face, eyes and nose.
As the government crams to keep the economy afloat with the impositions of lockdowns and quarantines, work from home schemes and temporary closure of non-essential businesses, it also grappled in keeping the health care system responsive to the pandemic. Health institutions and their staff were overwhelmed with the increasing number of COVID 19 patients, so even now they are vulnerable to the virus. In fact, many of our health workers succumbed to the disease. While they say that symptoms are flu-like and seems very ordinary like dry cough, fever, sore throat, the more virulent transmissions showed symptoms of difficulty of breathing, chest pains and severe pneumonia that resulted in mortalities.
The fight is still raging on and no cure is in sight. Only the availability of vaccine gives the ray of hope for us that we will be going back to our normal lives, but not the one we used to have anyway … but the new normal kind.
Yet, we should not surrender. We need to trod on and keep on pushing. We should keep on believing and storming the heavens with our prayers. God is good ... always good .. so put on your face masks and face shields, pocket your sanitizers, keep your distance, and we will surely win this war. WE CAN HEAL AS ONE. (MEBBlanco/JNBGalpo)
