Let’s start with a prayer for faith, hope, and love: “Almighty Lord God, give us true faith, and make that faith grow in us day by day. Also give us hope and love, so that we may serve our neighbors according to Your will; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”
Maybe repetition or sounding like a broken record might be an effective strategy in convincing the more hard-headed sector of the public to practice disiplina, especially amidst the current Covid-19 pandemic. Or, to call a spade a spade without fear or favor, the China virus since it originated in the middle kingdom’s Wuhan state.
In all fairness, key city and health officials have constantly reminded residents to practice discipline in adhering to minimum health protocols like the constant washing of hands, proper wearing of face masks and shields, and practicing physical distancing.
It’s up to us as supposedly responsible individuals to follow the regulations despite the discomfort it entails. Like some, this near-sighted Ibaloy writer admits to having difficulty breathing while wearing a face mask and shield. However, if these extra layers of protection prevent us from getting infected by the deadly virus, then we might as well toe the line.
Bottomline is, bearing the temporary discomfort of wearing face masks and shields is far better than getting infected or even dying from the disease. Do you agree?
FYI: Baguio Covid-19 facts and figures. There are symptomatic patients who experienced mild, moderate, and severe conditions. Cough is the most experienced symptom by 9.04 percent of the patients or 51 patients out of 564 cases as of Sept. 20, followed by colds (7.55 percent), sore throat (6.16 percent), fever (5.77percent), and body malaise (2.19 percent).
The symptoms, which these patients experienced or are experiencing, are colds, cough, fever, sore throat, body malaise/body weakness, shortness of breath, itchiness of throat, headache, diarrhea, chest pain, loss of taste and smell, bronchial asthma, ageusia, runny nose, and body pain.
Here’s “Dreams” by Langston Hughes: “Hold fast to dreams/ For if dreams die/ Life is a broken-/ winged bird/ That cannot fly./ Hold fast to dreams/ For when dreams go/ Life is a barren field/ Frozen with snow.”
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
