Lim: Collective responsibility

Lim: Collective responsibility

It’s been 13 months since I first wrote about this pandemic.

Then, it was not yet a pandemic, Then, it was just a mysterious SARS-like disease. Then, we didn’t know any better. After almost a year of this virus residing in our communities as well as in our heads, we should know better but if we do, why do we not do better?

I shake my head in disbelief every time I see people going about their lives like there is no pandemic—holding parties, meeting friends, hanging out, eating out. I suppose for these people, these activities are essential.

It’s been a year since I saw any of my friends. I have not met up with anyone socially in the past year since the pandemic began.

It would be nice to have conversations in person again. It would be nice to hug, to hang out, to trade stories, to eat out, to laugh out loud with the squad again. But I have to file all these under non-essential activities at this time.

I currently would not entertain the possibility of taking my mask off in public in the presence of others except for medical purposes. So, eating out with others—whether indoors or outdoors—is not happening any time soon for me.

And those prolonged face-to-face conversations with friends would not be happening anytime soon, either.

I’m not holed up at home. I go out for work, for errands, for haircuts, for doctors’ appointments. These are my essential activities. All the rest will have to wait because I recognize that every time I step out of the house, I risk exposing myself to the virus which I could bring home to my family.

I’m not a hermit. I still meet people for work. And each time I’m with someone from outside of my household, I know I risk exposing myself to the virus which I could spread to the members of my household.

I live with my 95-year-old father who is on partial oxygen support. His greatest joy is eating out. During this pandemic, however, he has gracefully made the supreme sacrifice of staying home because he wants to live.

So, don’t call me extra when I choose to shelter whenever I can and raise my eyebrows at those who thoughtlessly don’t.

Since Jan. 26, 2020, I’ve written 45 articles about the pandemic, many of which were dedicated to educating the public about the virus. After 45 articles, I have to say I am drained—but also dejected by the callous ways by which people continue to live.

You don’t have to live like I do but I hope that when you feel like having a fun but risky night with your friends, you’ll think about my 95-year-old father who ranks among the most vulnerable in our community—they who want to live but whose lives precariously rest upon the community’s sense of collective responsibility to choose wisely.

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph