We are no longer as informed as we were about the status of the Covid-19 in our country. There remains to be broadcasts about the decreasing rate of infections among Filipinos but it is no longer as extensive as it was in the previous two years.
Perhaps, even the news has become bored and tired of reporting the deaths and sickness that was wrought by the virus that causes the Covid-19. Our preoccupation these days is the war between Russia and Ukraine and, of course, the forthcoming national and local elections. Due to these, we no longer feel threatened by the virus. We feel that the pandemic is waning and is no longer of consequence to our daily existence. Or, is it?
We are being lured into a false sense of security. Just because the pandemic is no longer reported extensively on a daily basis does not mean that it has already waned.
In fact, the Department of Health is wary that the current world and local events distracting us from focusing on the short-term and long-term effects of the Covid-19 might have adverse consequences and bring about a gruesome cycle of what we experienced in the past. Accordingly, we must remain on guard. The enemy is still lurking dangerously.
Statistics do not lie. The previous weeks have reported a dramatic decrease in the number of infected individuals. Hospitals and health care facilities are no longer crowded and doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers are no longer overburdened.
The government has lowered the alert level to the lowest possible. Travel restrictions have been lifted. Consequently, we are itching to travel with gusto notwithstanding the runaway price of gasoline.
Thanks to the vaccine and the measures that were implemented to combat the contagion, we feel that we are no longer threatened. We are confident that we have attained immunity and are no longer vulnerable. This is the general sentiment. Ironically, it must be reconsidered.
It was this kind of mentality that did us in the early part of the year. It was this kind of complacency that had a major part of our population sick with the Covid-19. It was this kind of overconfidence that allowed the virus to evolve into a variant of concern. We cannot afford another scenario such as this.
The Covid-19 is a virus that is able to adapt and is capable of constantly mutating for its survival. There is no way that it will become extinct. Even doctors concede that it is here to stay. And since it can no longer be eliminated, it had become part of our ecosystem. Scientists call it endemic. Being endemic, it can strike anytime and anywhere without notice. When it does, the result might be catastrophic.
So, before we drop the mask and stop observing the basic protocols, think again. Just because our attention has been diverted to more essential things does not mean that we should feel safe. Just because we have been vaccinated does not mean that the virus no longer exists. It does and when we become negligent, it might come back with a vengeance.
April 20, 2024
