The announcement that Metro Manila goes into Alert Level 3 by the Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19 was greeted with relief by many residents and in the same breath, trepidation by some quarters. Nonetheless the response to it by many Metro households was no less enthusiastic – like a coiled spring that was kept in close tension for the last 18 months by pandemic, the bulk of city folks literally burst out of their homes to enjoy a breath of open air and fresh surroundings with their children in tow. As described by some observers, large portions of EDSA which runs across Metro Manila was literally a “carmagedon” last Saturday, October 16, the day the more “relaxed” alert level 3 was enforced. The TV news the following days as well as newspaper photos showed images of families milling about along the Roxas Blvd seafront, throngs of shoppers in the numerous city markets and devotees crowding churches just like St. Peter’s Church in my area of Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City with people spilling into the church entrance and outside steps. And all these with no distancing whatsoever despite the threat of COVID still very much with us.
So, what about these sentiments from among the ordinary folks who should have been educated these past several months about what COVID can do if it infects you; yet still flaunting the rules and ignoring the health protocols such as social distancing and the wearing of masks even in outside settings that were not suspended despite the declaration of alert level 3? What gives? Maybe it is sheer boredom. Maybe because Metro Manila vaccination rate, if we take the figures from the Metro Manila Council (MMC), is 80 percent of the eligible adult population thus making people more confident. But then the eligibility issue is still open to question as not the entire Metro Manila populace could be vaccinated, especially children and even adults not included in the categories of working or in the employed/ occupational sectors. Universal vaccination against COVID is still not available here; unlike for example in the United States where pharmacies, dental clinics, companies big and small, etc., are open to everyone, even visitors from abroad.
I think that there should be some way of reconciling the public’s weariness of being kept out of their “normal” activities before the pandemic and the current need to maintain public safety and prevent the upsurge of infections which the Covid virus is wont to do. Just take the case of Britain or the United States and even New Zealand which for a time was the world paragon for keeping their infections below many countries and seemingly, controlled. They have or are experiencing a new wave of Covid cases despite the fact that their vaccination rates are far, far higher than the Philippines, yet the phenomena now labeled as “breakthrough” infections have hit their populations in notable numbers. I myself, having been fully vaccinated with the Astra Zeneca brand, was infected by Covid. I thank God that I never showed any symptoms and a 14-day self-imposed quarantine with separate room, utensils and total isolation were observed.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año in a recent statement said that now that Metro is on alert 3, “we have to manage the risk’’ assuring that the PNP (Philippine National Police) together with the LGUs (local government units) will strictly enforce the minimum public health standards and prevent mass gathering.’’ He pointed out that the “LGUs must also be quick to impose granular lockdown on areas where there are (COVID-19) transmissions.’’ Here perhaps, I would like to raise the point with the good Secretary of really putting more people on the ground to enforce health regulations such as masks particularly for children in all areas outside their homes and social distancing for people who tend to forget this precaution. Remember that COVID virus is airborne and that people speaking and even breathing close to you could be a virus carrier. Who would, for example, tap a person particularly unknown who is basically at your elbow, to inquire whether they are vaccinated or not? Not likely so this is what distancing is all about. Keep yourself safe particularly your children who are the most vulnerable because they have not been vaccinated yet. Better still, travel or go out in a sort of “bubble” where you know who are the persons joining you or who you would be in close contact with. It never fails to prevent infection from diseases particularly as transmissible as the Covid Delta virus. Have a safe trip now that we are on alert level 3.