I’M SICK of writing about the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and what it has done to the country and to other countries around the world.
This government and other governments out there have restricted their people’s movements because they are afraid of what this highly infectious disease will do to their hapless populations.
First of all, though, until now I’m not even sure what it is. Do you?
I mean, they say some of its most common symptoms are fever, dry cough and tiredness, which doesn’t really say much. Does it?
Apparently, the disease can infect people of all ages, but it can prove to be more dangerous for those who have pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease.
So?
To avoid infection, the public is supposed to observe social distancing, avoid crowded places, wear masks at all times and whatnot.
Of course, since we live in an island, and a not so big one at that, we don’t have the luxury of space. And since Filipinos, and I think Asians in general, are foreign to the concept of personal space, social distancing is almost next to impossible to impose.
It’s like someone out there is pulling a prank on the whole planet because it is asking its inhabitants to do what is entirely against their nature.
Trust me, we wouldn’t be overpopulated if we kept space between ourselves and other people outside our homes.
If I’m beginning to sound like a cynic it’s only because I’m exasperated.
It doesn’t help when you get conflicting reports from agencies that are tasked to keep you abreast of the situation.
As I’ve said from the start, I expect infections in Cebu City to be very high because of several factors.
The lack of discipline and the sense of entitlement come to mind, for one, which hinder the public’s ability to obey simple instructions like stay at home while the whole province is in quarantine. Cramped living conditions for a lot of people is another.
So I wasn’t at all surprised when I read that Cebu City now has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the country.
Close to 1,600 infections may sound alarming, but with nearly one million inhabitants, the number doesn’t even scratch the surface.
By the way, the numbers are high only because the City Government has been conducting mass testing.
And yet I have this nagging feeling that someone is playing a joke on the whole world. Sad thing is, no one is laughing.