I DON’T care what people say, but this race for the vaccine for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is good for everyone.
Without a vaccine, no one can drop their guard against the highly infectious and sometimes fatal Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19.
That means people will continue to wear face masks or face shields or both while outside their homes. They will continue to practice social distancing until it becomes second nature to them like breathing.
Others will continue to be extra cautious to the point of being unreasonable. Not that I blame them. After all, we are in the middle of a pandemic.
But it has been more than five months since measures were put in place to restrict our movements to contain the spread of the virus. Surely, by now, we know what to do and what not to do.
Or maybe not. I look around and I notice that people are going back to their old habits. Which, I guess, is only normal. And I should be happy that people are getting on with their lives. We can’t be holed up inside our homes for the entire duration of this health crisis.
Many have to earn a living so they can put food on their table.
Having said this, it is equally important for the public to remember that Covid-19 is still in our midst.
I know many were happy when the Department of Health 7 released the latest update on the Covid-19 situation in Cebu City.
It reported only five new cases on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, which was the lowest since June, while active cases topped 600.
Certainly these were reasons enough to celebrate, albeit while observing all the health protocol.
In the beginning, authorities highlighted the total number of cases, which confused some people and alarmed many. But hey, at least they’ve learned their lesson. After all, they’ve had more than five months to do so.
Things are indeed looking up. Heck, the City Government is even talking about the Sinulog in January.
I admire its optimism. I do. I think it’s for the best that it prepares for the annual activity in case it pushes through. The administration of Mayor Edgardo Labella doesn’t want to be caught flat-footed.
And I’m saying “in case” because it will all depend on the vaccine that remains elusive.
I know the disease caught everyone by surprise when it arrived on our shores earlier this year. In hindsight, it was understandable for the government to stumble, which it did, on several occasions. But it picked itself up. Every time.
Although I don’t see an end to the pandemic, not just yet, I believe we are nearing the finish line. We can’t see it, but I know it’s there. It has to be.
We cannot afford to stop.