PEOPLE have the tendency to be frightened about the unknown. And the scare surrounding the increasing number of cases of persons suspected to have the novel coronavirus is definitely evident among us. Scenes that we usually see on zombie films are actually becoming true-to-life and the Philippines is not immune to the terror.
Despite government health officials' reiteration on unnecessary use of face masks, the public seem to ignore the advisory and went on panic buying. By mere observing, the number of cars going to the malls also went down. The fact that I could still find a good spot near the entrance gates during prime time suggests that people are cautious. And once you get inside the building, you'll get to see a lot of mall goers wearing various face masks. Parents also let their kids wear masks when going to school. The isle on where the disinfectants and alcohols are located is almost always empty. Others who think of their own safety tend to discriminate the foreign nationals and treat them as carriers of the deadly infection.
And while the people are panicking after WHO declared this situation as a public health emergency of international concern, there are still plenty of selfless souls who stepped up taking with them a strong sense of altruism and they willingly apply their knowledge and skills to help in eradicating this new virus. Just like what happened recently during Taal eruption, we've seen how good nations are tested through difficult times. It is how the people approach a challenging situation that reflects a collective greatness.
In China, doctors and health workers dedicated their time and literally their lives to face and defeat the coronavirus. In the early phase of the used to be mysterious respiratory disease, a physician had already been reported to have died after acquiring the dreaded virus. Another doctor who's known to have sounded the alert about the new virus also succumbed after getting infected with the same. A number of moving stories have touched the hearts of many about postponing their big events in their lives. There is this lady doctor who canceled her own wedding in order to continue treating patients with coronavirus. Another couple from China, a male traffic officer and a female nurse, decided to postpone their wedding so that they could continue with their respective duties. A male Chinese doctor decided to go on with his wedding but shorten the ceremony to just 10 minutes, not even tasting the food in reception so he could go back and treat more patients.
At the center of the pandemic in Wuhan, residents from skyscrapers open their windows and show their encouragement to other locals trapped in the lockdown. They are cheering at night, "Wuhan Jayou!" meaning "keep up the fight."
A group of construction workers in China became instant celebrities after finishing two buildings for a new hospital in roughly two weeks although some experts in the construction industry expressed skepticism on the feasibility of such project in a very short time.
In Pampanga, Governor Dennis "Delta" Pineda has opened the province's facilities to welcome Overseas Filipino Workers from Wuhan, China who would volunteer to be quarantined in case no one would take them in.
As we continue to get information, misinformation, and disinformation regarding the management of authorities on this disease, it is not wise to be thinking of oneself. We have beaten SARS and MERS-CoV in the past and we will beat this again if we cooperate and unite as one.
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Kuya J Pelayo IV is a Kapampangan broadcast journalist. For comments and suggestions, e-mail at 4th.pelayo@gmail.com.