* Before I begin, I would like to state that the following piece I write here is based on my opinions and observations alone, and am not part of some cockamamie government plot to spread disinformation or other shit. Don't associate me with that garbage. A lot of crazy people of the internet throwing crap at innocent observations lately. Sheesh.
**EDIT: I have to clarify that my observations are from the standpoint of a Metro Manila hospital only, since I know the situation is different elsewhere like in Cebu where cases are unfortunately spiking as of the moment.
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Ok, now that I got that disclaimer nonsense out of the way, its story time.
Things seem to have been winding down with regards to Covid at the hospital. One of the designated Covid wards has been converted back to regular (non-covid) use, and hopefully we'll be able to get the Sleep Lab back within the week. Though it is true that the number of cases is still increasing, the death rate remains quite low, and the Covid admissions has slowed considerably when compared to the shitstorm that was March 2020. Even though the general rate of admission has not slowed down, a greater proportion of the cases we are seeing are the usual admissions to the hospital which do not necessarily have Covid.
I think the reasons for this are threefold:
1) More testing and faster turn-around, so of course you would have more positive results, but we are now catching more asymptomatic and healthy individuals which do not need to be admitted at the hospital and are able to safely recover on their own.
2) We are getting better at managing Covid cases. Let's face the facts, this was a new disease and treating it was such a struggle for everyone across the globe since nobody had any idea what to use or what would specifically work since there was no preexisting data. Doing research on new treatments isn't easy, and if you're such a smartass to say that doctors slacked off, why don't you get off your lazy ass and do the clinical studies yourself to see just how complicated things are?
Sorry, I got a bit sidetracked for a moment.. :P I'm just so sick of all these armchair scientists who aren't worth a damn in real life chastising healthcare workers as if their opinions mattered.. Anyway, there are now more interventions in our armamentarium like the use of tocilizumab and hemoperfusion, as well as the modification of protocols like the shift from early intubation to a preference for non-invasive oxygenation like high-flow nasal cannulas. As more information is gathered and shared across the board, we will get better in managing the disease collectively. Gotta give props to all the researchers that shared their information freely as soon as it came out which helped all of us treat the patients better. (No, not you China. You sit in the back.) Thanks to the deluge of vetted information, people are
more confident in their management approaches. Compare that to the early panic we experienced during the first two
months where patients were expiring left and right and we felt powerless to do anything about it.
3) The lockdown worked (somewhat). Let's face it, the Philippines has never been a perfect example of good governance or a compliant population, but somehow I think we got this one right.. for a few weeks at least. Yes, the lockdown could have been a little earlier, and yes the ban on Chinese travellers should have come much, much earlier, but when I compare the present Philippine situation to whatever the hell is happening in the United States and Brazil, I can't help but say to everyone that "you did a relatively better job, somewhat.." Consider that if we did not have as strict a lockdown as we did during the crucial first couple of weeks, our numbers could easily surpass the crazy infection and death rates they have in the States. People eventually got cabin fever and began violating in little ways, but for the most part people have been compliant, and I noticed that during my daily drive to and from the hospital. I follow the news in the US to see how they were coping as we went through our own pandemic experience, and I have to say that I'm shocked at the way these Americans seem to value freedom above safety and common sense, to the point that their obsession with absolute freedom borders on lunacy. I can only shake my head and scroll down.. No wonder their healthcare system is so overwhelmed. I honestly expected so much better from the country where we get our medical books from, but then again, its' not the fault of the doctors there, but the uncompliant populace.. Oh, but it's also unfair to blame it on an uncompliant people, because their leaders initially didn't believe in all these social distancing measures either. I never thought I would see the day that I would encounter Filipinos (who admire the US a lot ) who would say that "I'm glad I don't live/didn't move to the States". Grabe, how times have changed.. and now you have these racial tensions boiling over at the worst possible time.
Going back on-topic, we have to bear in mind that the lockdown was not meant to make us hide in a bunker until this Covid plague blew over like a passing storm, like the Israelites hiding in their homes during Passover while death befell the firstborns of Egypt. It was meant to push transmission rates down so that the hospitals could catch up and prepare better for the surge which unfortunately came earlier than we would have liked. Eventually we caught up though, and the hospital underwent a major restructuring to convert a majority of the hospital infrastructure into isolation wards which are better equipped to handle these Covid patients. Proper donning and doffing areas were put up, and designated "hot zones" were strategically created for safe movement of patients and personnel. This also helped a lot in keeping the hospital personnel infection rate to a bare minimum. It was such a massive undertaking, and we have to thank the many donors who lent us support to help make that happen. Many thanks also to the PEE and food donors who sustained us especially during those early trying times when despair against a lethal invisible enemy was the general feeling all around. We could not have done it without you.
4) People are still generally careful, and it helps. With the exception of those stubborn idiots with uncontrollable cabin fever (and probably underlying psychiatric illnesses), I'm happy to observe that people are following distancing and protection guidelines as they are issued. Just to be clear, I'm not beating down on those people who were forced to leave their homes to try and make a buck, because people were already getting hungry because of the shortcomings of the government, especially at the LGU level where I heard that even barangay officials were at fault due to greed, politics, or both... Really? In a pandemic?.. How low can you get?..
Wow, this has been quite long already, but expected since I had such a long time yo ruminate on what I wanted to get across. As we slowly open up to this new normal before us, I hope that people will still be responsible and keep each other safe, To those who suffered through the lockdown, thank you for your sacrifice and compliance. It's because of your contribution that things didn't spiral out of control as much as is happening abroad. Like I said before, I am cautiously optimistic that we can all get through this safely and not be overwhelmed by the pandemic, since the mass production of a viable vaccine is still a few months away.
Please, let us help each other get through this. Comply with distancing guidelines. Keep the vulnerable at home for a little while longer. Wear a mask in public. Support local businesses. Don't be an irrational asshole who just wants to do whatever he/she wants without regard for others. I hope this experience would change a lot of people for the better, and help them realize that there is more to life than always just looking out for yourself.
