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Thursday, March 28, 2024

The real challenge of COVID-19

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The real challenge of COVID-19"Over 90 percent of those who tested positive are actually mild cases."

 

Just what is up with these people wasting time harping on the Anti-Terrorism Act in the middle of a worsening public health crisis?

Isn’t that what they were criticizing the Congress for, pushing the anti-terrorism bill instead of focusing on the coronavirus pandemic and the ABS-CBN franchise issue?

Well then, the opposition and rabid critics should train their brilliant mind and energy on helping figure out how to stem the tides of daily rise in COVID-19 cases. 

At the rate we are going, the Octa research group at the University of the Philippines Institute of Mathematics would likely be right in their projection that the total cases would hit 60,000 to 70,000 by July 31.

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It is 20 days from the time of this writing with a total of 50,359 cases reported on Wednesday. At least 12,588 recovered and 1,314 died.

With at least 1,000 cases per day, that will be 20,000 additional cases for a total of 70,000 plus by the end of the month.

The UP research group goes on to say that COVID-19 cases will have skyrocketed to 100,000 total in August, although not suggesting an apocalyptic-like scenario. Not just yet.

With over 3,500 health workers themselves getting sick, including 35 dying of COVID-19, it is feared that such scenario might overwhelm the country’s inadequate public healthcare system.

If these figures do not terrify those protesting the Anti-Terrorism Act at the Supreme Court gate, I do not know why a law meant to protect them scares the hell out of them.

In fact, we all must realize that the real challenge now is to keep the numbers of COVID-19 cases down.

The real challenge is not at the Supreme Court where the most honorable justices are cowering in terror that amid the epidemic a bunch of people are picketing the SC gates, not even observing social distancing and blasting their mouths with virulently name-calling President Duterte.

We must challenge ourselves to peg the total number of COVID-19 cases at 60,000 by July 31.

A jubilant Presidential spokesman Atty. Harry Roque declared the Filipino people the winner as last June’s total cases fell 2,850 short of UP Octa’s prediction of 40,000.

The UP research group comes up with helpful data that offers scientific guide to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the management of emerging infectious diseases in improving its community quarantine policies to contain the coronavirus contagion. 

They urged the IATF to take time easing the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine to General Community Quarantine last June 15.

Unfortunately, the IATF has no choice but to open the economy just as drastically as the panel urged the President to lockdown Luzon in March, leaving hundreds of thousands jobless stranded in Metro Manila with no means of transportation to go back to their home provinces.

Modesty aside, we have in this corner since February suggested solutions—mass testing, contact tracing, prompt treatment, mass information campaign—everything the President just summarized in his public address of late. 

I agree with UP Octa that the Department of Health should do 20,000 to 30,000 tests every day. Note there is still only one DOH-accredited laboratory in Mindanao, which is not even enough to serve the large Davao region alone.

If only we can all share Atty. Roque’s contagious optimism, it is impossible for us to beat the UP mathematicians again or, at least significantly minimize the increase rate of COVID-19 case. 

It is worthwhile to note that over 90 percent of those who tested positive are actually mild cases and at least 12,588 have recovered as of Wednesday.

If over 12,500 Filipinos could beat it, there is no reason why more cannot defeat COVID-19.

And that we can achieve if we own the responsibility of keeping ourselves healthy and seriously cooperate to observing establish health and safety protocols.

It is for our own good and our family’s well-being.

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