Ever since the pandemic was declared, we travelled in three continents. I was in Baguio City when it was declared and was “locked down” for nine months due to travel restrictions that caused the cancellation of my return trip to Switzerland six times. The government imposed lockdowns and strictly required the observance of health protocols. Checkpoints were installed to control the movement of the public. When government saw that the infection was reduced to manageable level, the lockdowns and business partially but conditionally resumed and checkpoints were removed. The people were allowed to move around and even tourism resumed. But then the easing up of restrictions that allowed people interaction would cause the infection rate to shoot up to alarming levels, thus causing the government to reimpose lockdowns and in some areas checkpoints.
When international travel finally resumed, my airline notified us that we could fly to Switzerland but only to Zurich and not to Geneva, which was my destination. So we took the flight after arranging with my daughter Chantal to fetch me there from Geneva, a good three and a half hours drive. The airline required passengers to undergo RT-PCR tests and fill in a waiver that allowed the airline to furnish the result to concerned government agencies. The wearing of face mask and face shield was required within the airport premises and inside the plane’s cabin. The plane carried very few passengers. In fact, I was seated alone in my row. The row behind me was empty. I soon learned from a cabin crew that 83 attendants were retrenched.
In Geneva, we observed that face shields were not required. There is a semblance of normalcy although the health protocols were observed quite faithfully by the public without any police intervention. In open spaces where face masks are not required, most elderlies use face masks. Inside malls, restaurants, gyms, bars and other enclosed places, people just routinely wear their face masks and many establishments provide face masks to customers who forgot to bring them. The infection level does not significantly increase. Vaccinations are available to those who make appointments online.
We also flew to the United States. The planes had more passengers than the plane that we flew in from Manila. Face shields were not required and seating arrangements allowed family members to seat beside each other. There were not many people at the airport in San Francisco.
During our three months stay there, we observed that the government left it to the business establishments to see to it that customers follow health protocols. They give free face masks for customers at the entrances. In public open spaces, people need not wear face masks. Many people did not want to be vaccinated, especially Trump Republicans. But vaccines were available once you made appointments on-line, even to undocumented residents. Some persons accompanying one with an appointment could be vaccinated should there be available vaccines. Those in charge at the vaccination center were very friendly and accommodating. As early as the last week of January, I was vaccinated with Pfizer just by being a temporary resident in the house of Derrick and Carla in Lincoln City. It was when protests and mass actions were held that infection rates go up causing a strain in the capability and capacity of hospitals and medical facilities to cope with the surge. Office workers and students were given to option to work from home.
In Barcelona and in other regions in Spain that we visited, health protocols are also strictly observed but with very minimum monitoring by the police. But most of the time people would monitor each other especially in transportation facilities. In open spaces, again, face masks are not required, although we noticed that the elderlies keep their masks on especially in the ramblas where they gather. So many fiestas and celebrations were held and consequently government would impose curfews and closure of bars due to violations.
As we observed, it is the public or people who are the first line of defense in this fight against this invisible enemy. Our doctors, nurses and medical personnel are there when people are already infected. The age-old advice that “prevention is better than cure” cannot be better emphasized than now. Many people around the world who are so attached to their freedoms of movement and of assembly especially in democratic countries, would throw away caution to the wind just to exercise their constitutional rights as if shouting in unison Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty, or give me death.” (DEL CLARAVALL)
