CAN drinking a cup of boiled garlic water protect us from the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)? Which side of the surgical mask makes you protected? Is 2019-nCoV not really deadly compared to the higher death rates in Sars? Those two planes that landed in Davao from China, Xiamen Air and Cathay-Dragon, did they come from Wuhan? What does “asymptomatic” mean? Has government finally decide to stop planes and ships from China to come in?
These and many other questions are on top of everyone’s minds as this coronavirus that started in the city of Wuhan have found its way in spreading across the globe, including the Philippines.
Panic is in everyone’s mind too. Like people are now scampering for face masks, but cannot find any. And now there’s also anger, as we learn government has donated three million masks to Wuhan, but has not made efforts to stop planes from China from coming in. Talk about free trade.
Information is key to understand how this virus affects people, and what the steps need to be done to prevent it. The DOH is doing its best to inform people how. But the panic has set in.
This has to do with a bigger “virus” we have, the virus of disinformation usually spread by troll armies tolerated by government has created this culture online of being fact-resistant, and gullible to share the very first information without verifying it.
Government is also not helping this fight because it is contradicting itself. Health officials are bickering whether drinking water could help prevent this virus. The presidential spokesperson said banning flights from China may harm the “relationship” with the country. This made netizens react, “Tayo pa ang mag adjust?”
Then a senator close to the president said we cannot be sure if the virus really come from Chinese people. I would kind of agree with that because in the past few days, people seem to look at me with suspicion. I really need to prove I’m not from China by speaking in Bisaya and talk about the JaDine breakup.
But now the president is saying he will impose a travel ban. A little too late? Let us see.
But another problem that we see here is how the health budget has been slashed, which could have helped in assuring we have better facilities and capacities to fight this virus. There are plenty of budget stashed around government, but where is it when you need it?
I leave with this useful advice from a political satire page on how to fight nCoV: N – Never go to crowded places. C – Cover your face with a mask. O – Observe proper hygiene. V – Vote wisely in the next election.
Stay safe. Stay wise.