Volume 1, Issue No. 33
OPINION/COMMENTARY
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . .
Our latest as of Monday, March 16, 2020
~ Countries have declared a lockdown, people have gone into isolation while the pessimists among us are in panic-buying mode all because of the yet-to-be-conquered novel coronavirus that has leaped out of racial, political and geographic bounds. Health authorities advised us to do the basics while scientists probed in hopes of finding a cure. Meanwhile, staying in the comfort of one's home appears to be the wisest thing to do in this time of coronavirus.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
GETTING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC
Caution in the Time of Coronavirus
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
Editor, The Filipino Web Channel
"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are". - Chinese Proverb
TORONTO - Something of a discovery happened as we stayed stuck in our homes waiting for this pandemic of coronavirus to be contained by not being a carrier, and trounced by modern science through the invention of still unknown drugs.
All my life I hadn't seen such an inconspicuous enemy descending on mankind, blind to race, age, and gender; oblivious to geographic and political boundaries; and uncaring about one's station in life.
At home in grateful obedience to calls for isolation, I thought I had countless hours in my hands watching the news, browsing books in my small library and perusing my collection of poetry books.
Poems had a calming effect on me especially in these uncertain times when all I see and hear on TV, the internet and newspapers were about a disease that has already wrought havoc in several countries and had prompted political leaders to near-closing their countries' borders.
For days since coronavirus got officially baptized by the World Health Organization as COVID-19 (meaning coronavirus disease 2019) to avoid stereotyping its country of origin and its people, towns and cities, and then countries, decided to corral their citizens within their areas of residence,
"Out of an abundance of caution" was the key phrase, followed by words like lockdown, isolation, home quarantine and euphemisms to soften the reality and impact of a COVID-19 pandemic, or else we the people would be so distressed and terrified.
To some doomsayers, the message of COVID-19 was apocalyptic. That it still has no effective cure makes matters worse, stoking genuine fears.
So the only alternative to not getting it is to observe strict personal hygiene, avoid crowds and practice social distancing. These are basic but helpful tips even though we know some people contracted the disease by means not fully explained.
My realization that COVID-19 has gone global was in seeing our Prime Minister Justin Trudeau putting up a brave front in saying his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, has tested positive for coronavirus after returning from the British capital a week ago.
In Manila, a sitting senator, Michael Zubiri, has tested positive too and went into self-isolation. "I practiced social distancing as well as a no-handshake policy but yet I got contaminated. How, I do not know," he says in press reports from the capital.
Prior to that, Italy has declared a lockdown, the first European nation to do so. Soon, at least 10 others in the continent closed their borders And so was China's Hubel province. The Philippines had its main region, Luzon, where the capital Manila is, on lockdown too.
As I write these lines Mr. Trudeau announced in Ottawa that Canada is closing its borders to non-Canadians or non-permanent residents.
The growing fear of the pandemic is well-justified. Survival - mankind's survival - is at stake. It's a source of comfort to know, however, that every health challenge mankind has faced, humans always come out triumphant.
That is not to say we should let our guard down. On the contrary, the more we should stay vigilant. The more we should stay in touch, not face-to-face in the meantime, but through other means of communication.
Tired at staring at my computers for a few days now, I revert to gazing out the window to relax a little bit. This is where I had this discovery.
You see, between 6 to 7 a.m. daily, nature treats me with spectacular views of the rising sun. My second-floor room window faces east and down below is the yard that allows an unobstructed view of the horizon and with patches of green that mellow my mood.
In these times of coronavirus, what more can be comforting than staying indoors relaxing, having a great view, poetry books on my side, computers within easy reach, and stacks of non-fiction waiting for my attention? It's a great way to feed the mind. (Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved).
No comments:
Post a Comment