I AM currently writing this from home, as OpinYon management has decided to operate on a “skeletal workforce” scheme after the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status was imposed once again over Metro Manila and outlying provinces.
As of press time, the national government has yet to decide on whether to extend the ECQ by another week or two.( Editor’s Note: The government has already extended the ECQ until April 11).
Covid-19 cases have suddenly jumped up to the highest levels despite the ECQ. On Good Friday (where everyone traditionally stays home and businesses were closed), 15,310 additional cases were reported – an all-time high.
Some speculate that the sudden jump is due to testing laboratories being delayed in releasing their test results.
However, the fact that many hospitals are now refusing to admit even more Covid-19 patients clearly indicates that the new variants are definitely more contagious.
Reports have it that some patients were forced to travel as far as Pampanga just to get a hospital to admit them.
What’s worse, many of our frontliners who take care of Covid-19 patients are now getting sick themselves.
To paraphrase a timeworn phrase, “Who will now take care of the caretakers?”
-o0o-
I hate to say this, but maybe our local government officials have become too confident when cases started to decline early this year.
The Binan City government, in particular, has reportedly dismantled the Covid-19 isolation facility inside the Alonte Sports Arena due to the lack of patients.
Now, too late, we’ve seen the dire need for additional isolation facilities for Covid-19 patients.
Home quarantine is now discouraged as whole families are now being infected with the virus.
I hope and pray we won’t reach to the level of Brazil, whose healthcare system is now reportedly on the brink of total collapse due to the pandemic.
-o0o-
It’s now clear that one week is not enough to stem the rise in Covid-19 cases, especially in Metro Manila.
Fearless forecast: it’s going to take a month – possibly two – to effectively control the new wave.
And that is provided that the Covid-19 vaccination program is immediately implemented on a massive scale.
The good news is that finally, the national government has come to its senses and allowed private companies to purchase Covid-19 vaccines for their employees.
The bad news is that there’s still no set date on when the vaccines will actually arrive.
So, the important question many are asking: are we going to be stuck inside our homes again for one whole summer?