More serious 'complications'

IN PHOTO: President Rodrigo Duterte imposes community quarantine in Metro Manila to contain COVID-19

Contrary to what most of us think, the ill impacts of the 2019 Novel CoronaVirus Disease (CoViD-19) have already gone far beyond just human health alone.

As the World Health Organization (WHO) declares a global emergency on the unstoppable spread of the 2019 Novel CoronaVirus Disease (CoViD-19), death tolls and cases of infection have escalated - so as public fear and sudden consciousness to sanitation and precautionary measures. Nearly 100, 000 people have already died in mainland China, 50, 000 are infected and 18, 000 are under direct observation.

Everybody, including me, had this phobia of acquiring the said virus which according to the UN Microbiological Studies, has 'eight times faster transmission' than that of the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). I even avoided going to crowded places as much as I can, considering how some patients were asymptomatic and that it usually takes nearly two weeks for an infected patient's symptoms to manifest. The demand for face masks and sanitizers, despite shortage of supply due to hoarding, has evidently risen.

Just like how failure to detect the virus results in worse lung conditions such as acute pneumonia, public safety is no longer the only thing that we government must consider now. It is clear to say that the Philippine economy has also been succumbing from the CoViD-19's dreadful spread. The virus has already affected the aviation sector and the employment industry. Since local and international flights have been cancelled due to safety measures, (considering how reported and suspected cases in the country are from different provinces, and how neighboring countries such as Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand among others have recorded their own cases) the Philippine Airlines was left with no choice but to lay off 300 personnel due to 10 billion pesos revenue loss. This gravely impacts the economy, knowing how the PAL is a major contributor to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and driver of local tourism. (trips to famous destinations such as Aklan were also impeded)

However, the total travel ban imposed on all Chinese tourists and workers is immensely needed due to the outbreak.

What makes this pandemic even more alarming is how it only paved more ways for scammers, trolls and bots to take advantage. The Philippine social media setting is no longer stranger to fake news, more so in times of calamities and disasters. This is already evident even from the days of the Taal Volcano eruption where messages about impending earthquakes circulated online (note that even the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or PHIVOLCS is unable to predict earthquakes). Despite efforts of Internet giants Facebook and Google to create a stronger security mechanism, castigating fake news spawners is as difficult as mitigating the virus' spread. Not to mention the hoaxes pertaining to the "proper" use of surgical face masks. The Department of Health (DoH) has confirmed that the colored part should be on the outside. Other false content says that surgical masks are reusable when steamed or ironed. These hoaxes could create confusion among the public, which could be detrimental to public health. I recall how we panicked upon reading a message that circulated in Messenger, stating that a CoViD-19 positive was already confined in the University Medical Center-Dasmariñas. Days after, the hospital administration denied it and confirmed that the said message is merely fabricated.

Truth is, these complications of the CoViD-19 could have been prevented if only the government has been more prompt with closely monitoring the situation.

Furthermore, the CoViD-19's continuous spread weakens the country's steadfast efforts to boost our diplomatic relations with other nations. We have to remember that the Philippines has been actively participating with the United Nations Global Compact on Refuge, where members and country leaders are obliged to offer help and aid to needy nations. This has been effective even from the past decades, knowing how President Rodrigo Duterte has reached out to trafficking victims of Myanmar militarization. Also, the country has been a helping hand to Europe during the spread of the infamous 'Black Fever'. Most importantly, we all know that the administration has been very devoted to maintaining its healthy relationship with the Chinese government as well as with Japan. However, the total travel ban imposed on all Chinese tourists and workers is immensely needed due to the outbreak. Though it was deemed discriminatory, we cannot deny that it could have been the first thing the government has done the moment that the virus has emerged in December 2019.

Truth is, these complications of the CoViD-19 could have been prevented if only the government has been more prompt with closely monitoring the situation. Now that the virus' negative effects remain to be airborne, there should no longer be a room for inaction. These ailing impacts should be cured and further complications on the country should be prevented immediately.

— Written in March 2020 during one of my trainings for the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) 2020 in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan