Medical City Chairman Eckie Gonzales Empowers Filipinos With A "Can-Do" Approach To Fighting COVID-19
"We need only ourselves, acting in an empowered way as one nation, to beat COVID"
Just last night, President Duterte announced that the one-month Luzon-wide quarantine could quite possibly extend for another two weeks.
And when those two weeks are up, who knows what could happen? Will things calm down and return to business as usual, or will confirmed COVID-19 cases still be on an upward trajectory to merit a second extension? Will employees be able to securely return to their jobs and students seamlessly get back to studying in classrooms? Can our economy recover fast enough, and what will it mean if it doesn't? What about our healthcare workers that bore the burden of this crisis, will they get a break?
It seems that only questions abound these days with little to no answers to match them. Uncertainty and worry have come but not gone away, like guests that overstay when a dinner party has wrapped up and hosts are forced to continue entertaining.
It's been tough for all of us.
And as we continue to brave this period which history will describe as a time when global reality changed overnight, The Medical City chairman Eckie Gonzales shares a few words to help us get through.
With a combination of learning from observation, heeding reports from the medical community, adopting worldwide best practices, cooperation and vigilance, and the strong belief that Filipinos will rise above this, he makes a bold statement: We can beat COVID.
Below, we share must-know tips and new guidelines from the chairman to turn this statement into reality.
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The new normal
Many of us cling onto the hope that eventually, COVID-19 will go away life returns to the way it used to be. However, when that day comes, people from all over the planet must understand that society will never be the same again—ever. If there's anything this pandemic has taught us, it's that we didn't prepare enough, and countries, cities, governments, and even individuals were ill-equipped to handle such a catastrophe. The world will change its ways and so will we now that we've seen something of this magnitude is possible and experienced its effects on such a wide scale. Life will go on, one day, but our definition of normal will never be the same again.
No vaccine, virus here to stay
We need to wrap our heads around the fact that the novel coronavirus will still be here until a vaccine is found. Even when businesses resume, schools and workplaces reopen, and quarantines are lifted, the threat of infection and a second (or even third or fourth) wave of positive cases will still be possible—until a cure is found. More than legal, governmental, or economic action, it's medical action that's needed to truly eliminate the coronavirus threat to our lives.
Asymptomatic and dangerous
With new data available, an astounding finding about COVID-19 positive cases has been found: up to half of confirmed cases are asymptomatic cases. That's a very big number, and that makes protecting ourselves and our loved ones even more complicated (as if we needed more complications an an already tricky situation!). There's really not much we can do if do we turn out to be asymptomatic—except to make sure that we don't put others at risk, even unknowingly. A pretty good guideline to remember is this: "Behave as if you were already infected." As morbid as that sounds, it helps; by imagining that you're ill, it influences your behavior. You cut down on unnecessary interactions, eat better, sleep better, and are more considerate of others. If you are asymptomatic, these are exactly the things you should be doing.
7-12 vs. 14 days
"14 days"—that's how long we've been told to self-isolate to see if we indeed begin showing the dreaded symptoms. That is correct—but only if you are in good health, generally speaking. For the healthy, this period can even be enough for them to recover from a mild case of COIVD-19. However, those 14 days are reduced to just 7-12 days for our beloved senior citizens, or if you are a person with existing health conditions that exacerbate a COVID-19 infection. The two-week wait time could be cut in half for the elderly and/or sickly, so be extra vigilant of your body and symptoms. Those most at risk should not wait the full two weeks to seek medical attention should they suspect that they are ill.
Prepare for a hot, hot, hot summer
We know that frequent and proper hand washing plus social/physical distancing is a must. But guess what, Filipinos? Preliminary studies have shown that the virus may (it hasn't been proven yet) stay in the air. That is, when an infected person sneezes or coughs, the virus can remain airborne for some time (the exact length of time has yet to be identified). What does this imply for us then? Using air conditioning that just recycles air in a room means the virus doesn't go anywhere—it stays in the room with you and could make you sick. You need not come into close contact with a sick person or touch infected surfaces. And so, even at the height of summer, we must lessen air conditioning use and open windows to guard against this. Powering through sweaty, sticky days is much better than having to be rushed to the ICU for a life-threatening disease.
Mask it up
The Department of Health has been inconsistent about who needs and doesn't need to wear a face mask. At first, they asserted that only the sick need them, but research done in neighboring Asian countries that have successfully flattened the curve show that everyone has to wear a mask. Everyone—especially when you go to a public place. If you're worried about not having a supply of surgical face masks at home, don't; there are many ways to create your own DIY masks from scrap fabric, and without sewing, too.
Understand what "viral load" means
You're strong, healthy, young, and have zero underlying and/or comorbid health conditions that could make a COVID-19 infection worse. You're safe, right? Very wrong. In medicine, there's such a thing called "viral load"—a concetpt which basically tells us that your body can only take so much exposure until it gets sick, too. A healthy body is not an invincible body. Do not abuse it, and do not push it to its limits needlessly.
The test kit issue
When it was announced that the COVID-19 test kits developed by University of the Philippines scientists were approved by the FDA, people rejoiced. They rejoiced mostly because they saw the test kits as the ultimate answer for the country to be able figure out who was and wasn't sick in a far-reaching way. It's not as simple as that though; a face to face meeting with a doctor who will examine your signs and symptoms and run additional tests are still necessary to get an accurate diagnosis, not to mention that the kits are only at a 63% accuracy rate. We still have a long way to go when it comes to identifying those who need treatment. The best thing we can do for now? Do not do anything that will put you at risk of getting sick, that is, in need of a test kit and a doctor's appointment.
Bring help where it's most needed
There are many, many, many people that need help in this time, and there are many, many needs to meet. Unemployment, food shortages, adequate shelter, and access to sanitary facilities are just some of them. But for those who wish to focus on providing aid to the medical sector and ease the burden on hospitals, there are things you should be focusing on: supporting efforts to procure more ventilators, and contributing fundraisers and donation drives for the construction of additional quarantine and treatment facilities. You can also join others raising funds for the procurement of essential gear for hospital workers like face shields, face masks, and PPEs. These three relief efforts are top priority.
Protect our seniors
It cannot be stressed enough that senior citizens are the most at risk for getting the most sick, and dying of a COVID-19 infection. In the US, Italy, and in Spain—countries that were some of the most hard hit by the virus in the world—have all traced the initial spread of the virus to outbreaks in senior nursing homes. Argue with grandma and grandpa if they insist on being let out and going about their days as usual; do what you can to keep them inside at all times as it is for their own good and to some extent, their survival, and that of everyone in your household. If you can afford to, prepare a room or area of your house just for them to minimize contact with everyone else, especially with person in your household who periodically goes outside for groceries, medicine runs, and other errands.
Clean freaks, we need you
Remember what we said earlier about getting used to a new normal? This applies to our standards for hygiene and sanitation, too. Business, workplaces, and those who manage other public spaces have to ramp up the way they maintain sanitation, and not just run of the mill cleanliness. It's no longer about keeping places free of garbage and clutter; it's about whether or not viruses have been wiped off surfaces, air refreshed, and reminding everyone who comes in and out of the place to practice hygiene themselves. The of the clean freaks has officially arrived!
Selfish? Don't be.
Instead, be human: compassionate, generous, and empathetic. There are many things that can make this situation worse for all Filipinos, but unfortunately, very few are under our control. We can't control when a cure will be found, how to ensure this never happens again, and even who gets sick and who doesn't. What we can control, however, is ourselves. We can choose to not serve our self-interests and be of service to others instead. We can choose to help instead of be a part of the problem. We can choose to be responsible and put our education to good use, instead of reckless, ignorant, or just plain self-centered. Now is not the time to have a me myself, and I mentality, and really, no time is!
One word: cooperate
The uncertainty of our lives has made everyone skittish and worried, anxious, and unsettled. We've all looked for ways to cope, imagined what the future might look for, and cooked up ways to make the present better. The solution to all of this is murky at best, but for now, there's really only one thing we can and should do: cooperate. To the best of our abilities, we should follow rules and regulations set in place by our communities, schools, and workplaces, and knowledgeable health officials. Nationwide cooepration is our best shot at hastening the end of this worldwide cavalry. The more we cooperate, the faster we return to going back to normal, or in this case, learning to live with the new normal that lies ahead.
Be pro-Filipino
The political divide is wider than ever for Filipinos. Differences in political affiliations have caused anything and everything from online arguments, angry text exchanges, social media shaming, expletives spewed at each other, and pettiness blinding us from the real issue at hand. Instead of emphasizing differences at an extraordinary time at this, we should be finding reasons to unite. Political or apolitical, anti or pro, political leanings shouldn't count for much these days; be pro-Filipino instead. Support each other, don't tear each other down.
Images from Unsplash and Pexels
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