Volume 2, Issue No. 38
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 Friday, November 13, 2020
~ How calming it is to know one's situation in the face of misery and death all over, in the city, province, country, and across the globe brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Despite denials by non-believers in the south, the True North sets an example: to believe in the science and abide by the protocols. A more restrictive measure is being put in place in the city soon for everybody's well-being.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
FOLLOW THE PROTOCOLS, IT'S GOOD FOR OUR HEALTH
Subduing COVID-19 Without the Vaccine
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
Editor, The Filipino Web Channel
“If we do what is required of us, we shall live in safety.” ―
As citizens and residents of Toronto, Canada's largest city (population: 2.9 million), we have an obligation to the government and the general population to follow measures that ensure the health and safety of everyone, particularly in this time of the coronavirus pandemic.
Wearing a mask or face shield, washing hands frequently, staying six feet apart, avoiding crowds, self-quarantining when unwell, etc. - are among the basic protocols that help mitigate the spread of the virus while the global search for an antidote is underway. (Related video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40FrmoIf8sA)
Unlike in some parts of our neighbor to the south, we're not going to politicize any of those protocols. Our health is still our only wealth immeasurable by money. We follow the rules not so much for our individual selves as for the many others, to contain the disease.
We trust the science, the medical doctors, the public health experts - not the people, particularly the "macho man" who blabbered ignorantly against it and, because of his distrust, had fallen victim to it. (Related story at: https://filwebchannelmagazine.blogspot.com/2020/09/trump-downplays-but-he-knew-coronavirus.html).
The rising numbers of confirmed cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in the city are worrisome. The arrival of winter in the next 37 days might complicate the situation further worst. So it is incumbent upon us to stick to a code of health conduct issued by the authorities.
In fact, starting Saturday, November 14, 2020, Toronto Public Health is implementing additional health measures to reduce the spread. The restrictions are "most severe" available before widescale lockdowns, authorities said. (Full details are available at: https://www.toronto.ca/news/public-health-measures-for-red-control-level-and-toronto-public-health-specific-enhanced-measures/).
"To combat the resurgence of the virus in the city, all people in Toronto should be staying home whenever possible, only going out for essential activities like work that cannot be done from home, attending school and getting fresh air and exercise," the city said in an announcement.
As of this writing (Friday, Nov. 13), Toronto, with a population of 2,956,024, reported 33,322 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 1,432 deaths due to the disease (COVID-19) it brings. Perhaps it's a tribute to the robust health measures in place that the situation here is not as bad as in the US. Besides, Canadians are compliant.
For example, the City of Chicago with a population of 2,670,406 (or nearly as close to Toronto's), has 125,549 confirmed cases and 3,163 deaths. The huge difference in Toronto and Chicago is stark-naked: 92,227 in confirmed cases, and 1,731 in deaths.
With all those things in mind, we set out on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, for the 15-minute drive to North York General Hospital's Branson Ambulatory Care Centre on Finch Ave. West for the COVID assessment test. Two days earlier, a schoolboy in the family recounted over dinner that one of his classmates had tested positive for the virus.
That set off the alarm bells, prompting us to seek immediate evaluation. So we bundled up in the car and went. About a dozen people, all masked up and physically-distant, were already queueing by the door. As it turned out, waiting in line was far longer than the test itself.
Once you've been through step 1 (identifying oneself and explaining one's reason for the test); step 2 (confirming personal information); and step 3 (where a health worker directs one to any of the six makeshift rooms the hospital had erected on the ground floor), the test was a breeze.
A health worker comes in and explains the procedure, which involves inserting a Q-tips-like cotton swab into the nose. The process called "Nasopharyngeal Swab" lasted no more than 10 seconds and was more annoying than painful. It almost triggered a sneeze. And then, it's done, one's free to go.
So, we went home confident. The paper (handed during step 2) containing all the personal information states: "The results of your COVID-19 test are available in most cases within 2-3 days".
Well, it wasn't that long actually. On Thursday, November 12, 2020, or the day after, the information on the personal web link they provided says: "Result Negative".
Isn't that a salve that soothes? You bet it is! (Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved).
No comments:
Post a Comment