Here we go again..

 Sigh..

 Another month, another spike.. The Delta variant is truly here in the country. Numbers seem to be going up all across the Philippines. Hardest hit are the provinces that are experiencing a really bad surge, similar to what we experienced a few months ago here in the metro.

I had no idea how bad it was getting until I came across this image:

Picture came from a post by the Autoindustriya.com FB page

 This was apparently a shot from the exterior of a tertiary hospital in Cebu, where you can see vehicles lined up outside adjacent to oxygen tanks supplying much-needed O2 support for suffering patients within the vehicles. With hospitals filling to capacity, the patients have little choice but to wait it out in their cars until there would hopefully be a vacancy.

It struck me as a particularly shocking scene because I never imagined that it would come to this on our shores. You see images from India where they faced this grim scenario only a few months before that seemed unreal. 

This is similar to the initial outbreak, but the vaccine is the gamechanger here. According to a news report I read earlier, the PGH is nearing capacity for COVID, with a sizeable chunk of patients who were unvaccinated, and only 2.6(?)% were breakthrough infections of fully vaccinated individuals. Even more striking was the fact that the fully vaccinated only had disease of moderate severity, while those unvaccinated were the ones fighting for their lives as severe cases...

Now we face another lockdown in the metro, with the hope of stemming the tide and letting the vaccinations catch up. Keep safe at home folks! Let's all ride out this storm together. 😷

 

 

 

 

Tick Tock..

 

Image taken from here

Here we go again with another round of procrastination..

I currently have to accomplish a lot on my plate tonight (which in hindsight, I should have been working on for the past couple of days already, but as you may already know, my struggles with getting things started has been nothing short of legendary.. 😅

So yeah, here I am again, blogging my way out of a nonproductive funk in the hopes that a bit of creative stimulation would help me get going.. To be honest, it tends to work more often than not. 😅

I'm feeling a bit better about the general situation now.. Make no mistake, Covid is still pretty much alive and well, but with vaccinations finally on the upswing, and the people I love mostly having gotten at least a first jab, my mind is finally free to worry less and work more.

Add to the fact that the CPAP seems to work as advertised, and the only problem is actually my personal compliance to usage. I hate to sound like an advertiser, but using CPAP for Obstructive Sleep Apnea DOES work. I admit that it took a while, but now I am generally feeling better in the mornings (except for those preceding nights where I failed to use it of course), and I seem to have more energy and less brain fog in the evenings, like today. 

 At first it was a struggle, because I was suddenly having a lot more potentially productive time on my hands, that I actually struggled with insomnia for a bit. It seems a bit counterintuitive, doesn't it? I am finally able to improve the quality of my sleep, but now I was getting less of it. 😅 Thankfully it was just an adjustment phase that lasted the better part of a week or so, but now I have developed a new routine.

Given that I seem to have a lot more energy from the get-go, I have started doing a brief 5-minute exercise routine upon waking up and before I get the rest of my day started.

Have you guys heard of One-Punch Man? He's an anime protagonist who seems to be unbeatable because he is able to best his opponent with a single blow, much to his chagrin as he searches the world for a worthy challenger.

 Yup, he's the one. Image source here

So this guy called Saitama apparently has a rather straightforward daily training regimen consisting of "100 pushups, 100 situps, 100 squats, and a 10 km run" to which he attributes his superhuman strength. I'm not about to do that anytime soon, especially since I seem to already be developing knee issues.. 😓

So yeah, I have opted to do a modified "1/10th Punch Man workout" that fits my schedule and can help me get started on trying to be fit. 😅 This regimen consists of: 10 pushups, 10 deadlifts, 10 squats, 10 bicep curls, 10 tricep extensions, and 10 side bends (for each side). Take not that this is all just one set. I have not included cardio due to time constraints, but will probably find a way once fellowship is over. 😜

Workout purists will undoubtedly ridicule my choice of routine, but I don't really care. It has been ages since I really worked out, and I don't want this sedentary lifestyle to dictate my future functionality. So yeah, a little bit of strength training never hurt anyone. 

I guess that's enough creativity for now. I think I have gotten on my groove again. As always, keep safe, wash your hands, watch your distance, and wear a mask. We'll all be out of this mess soon, as long as people cooperate. 😷

Unsocial Media

 041721 1830H

An unexpected internet outage during a restful weekend is responsible for today's entry, although given the aforementioned conditions, it is still unknown when this entry will be posted.

A bit of Coronavirus update to get that out the way:

The country is on pace to breach a million cases by month's end (as was earlier predicted). To say that this new wave was surprising would be the understatement of the century. Things were already apparently improving.. Case numbers were pretty much under control.. Hospital beds were already freeing up, and people had already resumed some semblance of normalcy for a month or so already... Then it happened..

An unprecedented exponential growth in the number of new cases was seen. Ironic that this had to occur when vaccination programs were finally underway.. I can't say it's a local thing either.. Across the globe, governments are grappling with new unexpected waves which threaten to overwhelm (once again) the already worn-down health systems.. However, I find a country in particular to be suspicious.. This country of origin of the virus is not reporting any surge.. Could be because of under reporting by the secretive and selfish government, or maybe because if they actually made the virus, they have perfected a way to immunize against it while watching the rest of the world burn. Then they will strike hard (as they are already doing in nearby areas) while the rest of the world is hurting. A part of me wonders if this new surge may have been powered by foreign actors with hostile intent who have introduced these new deadlier strains to unsuspecting populations of various nations.. but enough of that..

-----------------------------

The main topic I wish to tackle here is the corruption of modern society by means of social media. Simply put, social media gives a platform for everyone, even those who don't deserve it. Some may argue that everyone deserves to have a voice.. That may be true in an ideal world, but if you have charismatic nutjobs spewing forth lies and disinformation which would be readily gobbled up by a gullible public, then you have a recipe for disaster. I think that human beings by nature are not meant for this kind of stimulation. Sure, education would help, but to what extent? Even educational systems can be flawed, and people in power could twist the system to push their own narrative. A good example would be those crazy science deniers in the US who wish to remove the theory of evolution from the school curriculum due to an outdated notion of creationism. I have my own faith, but I'm also rational enough to know that you just can't explain everything away by miracles and magic. Unfortunately, there seems to be a lot of people who are stuck with these very backward notions.

I wouldn't call it stupidity or ignorance per se.. Some of these people supposedly come from educated backgrounds, and you could carry out an intelligent conversation with them (theoretically), but their belief systems are so hopelessly backward and skewed that opening a conversation with them about rational things devolves into a debate with a child. There are two sides to every coin though. The rational thinkers should not be so condescending in their approach. I think its the initial approach that turns off many of the ignorant. At the same time, I get how it must be so absolutely frustrating trying to explain proven truths to someone who stubbornly refuses to budge like a spoiled child.

Now take the aforementioned problem, and magnify that a million-fold by putting it on the internet, the "Information Superhighway". It is so ironic that such a massive storehouse of knowledge is actually making people dumber. The insane amount of information enables the nutjobs to cherry-pick their beliefs and push their narratives with "evidences" scattered all throughout the forest of uncurated data. I guess the internet grew too fast, too soon, and people were just not ready fr it. Efforts to teach people to discern and digest the information they see on the web, and to not take it at face value, is laudable but seems a bit futile.. The internet can now be freely accessed by almost everyone (who is not living in China or North Korea), and the number of uninformed, immature "netizens" vastly outnumbers those who are trying to set things straight.

Another problem is that the people who are "under-informed" often do not wish to be educated because they are already comfortable with the limited information that they have. They shun the value of expert opinions and hard scientific data and instead point to where the mob is going and say that they want to go that way too, because, uh, people..

I read somewhere before that "A person is smart, people are stupid", and that is so true on the internet, especially on social media. You see a mob drowning out rational voices, often due to paid trolls who are in the business of taking down good people, who would then incite normal clueless individuals to do the same because of the herd mentality. I really wonder how many of these so called trolls would dare behave the way they do online in real life.. People have now abandoned common decency for a quick buck, or for a chance to shout that they won an argument despite the fact that they are wrong. It is this childish bullying mentality that is now so pervasive on the web and causes a great deal of stress for so many people and has driven so many to do self-harm, or worse.

I am now forced to recall that I had experienced a bit of cyber-bullying myself way back during my formative years. The internet was still in its infancy, but new media had enabled people to post disguised hurtful interactions publicly. So yeah, that happened, and although it was mild compared to what kids may go through today, it still left an indelible mark on my psyche, enough to make me a bit more distrustful of people in general.

I guess that is why I prefer this as my medium of expression. I do not require nor crave validation by way of likes and views, and I have the ability to ruthlessly curate comments as I see fit.

Going back on topic. The mask of anonymity on the internet emboldens people to unleash their inner asshole, even for brief moments. The problem here lies in the fact that event just momentary events of total jackassery directed against a particular individual or group may hurt someone permanently, especially if it is posted for posterity for all the world to see. I don't want to discuss trolls, hell, I don't event wish to dignify them by giving them names. Let's just call them the unnecessary individuals on the internet. These unnecessary individuals are paid to be mean, so it is useless to engage them since you cannot change their minds, and you won't be able to get your hands on them anyway, so stop wasting your time. However, if they do manage to identify and track down these individuals, I will just turn the other way and let the other very angry and vengeful people have their way with them. ;)

Ok, I think I let off enough stem for one day. Time to move on to more important, real-world things.

Stay safe.
 

Back to square one..

 I had already promised myself that I would stop posting about Covid news, but this is just too depressing that I need any sort of catharsis that I could use..

Congratulations Philippines, you did it.

Despite the arrival of the vaccines (which would hopefully stave off death as advertised), the new case count suddenly finds itself on the upswing.. People have been pointing fingers at the new variants causing increased transmission, but I don't buy it.. New variants comprise only a minority of these new cases. It all boils down to people being irresponsible with their interactions and being stupid with safety protocols, especially the proper wearing of face protection. Now hospitals are filled with covid cases again, and this pretty much feels like a deja vu of last year.

I'll stop na. I just had to get this off my chest.

Under control? Hahaha No.

It has been a wild couple of weeks, especially since people were starting to get all excited about the possibility of a vaccine arriving soon... although that bubble eventually burst when deliveries were apparently delayed due to the Pfizer's new requirement of indemnity in the wake of cases recently filed against Sanofi for the Dengvaxia debacle. So yeah, its that gaddam loudmouthed sensationalizing woman's fault yet again. I guess you and your ilk are extremely proud of what you have done, but I guess you don't really care because it is very clear to the general population that it was all a political stunt to get yourself known, probably because of some farfetched dream of running for office?  Thanks for setting back vaccination in the Philippines for decades. I hope you get covid and suffer from it in the worst way possible.

Anyway, here is the latest graph.

Things seem pretty stable, but numbers are not going down. I guess this is expected, since there have been no interventions (i.e. vaccines) that have been brought in to "change the game".

The waiting game is getting tiring already. I just hope things get better soon.

The beginning of a spike?

 Sigh... I knew it was too good to last..

Thanks to the blatant irresponsibility of people over the holidays, and most recently during a popular religious event, I feel we might be staring at another uptick in the number of cases.. 

 

Yeah, seems about right..  😓

I don't even know what to say anymore.. All there is to do is brace for the inevitable I guess.. I do have one thing to say though.. For all those selfish people who flouted the rules, or wouldn't even put on their face masks and shields properly, SHAME ON YOU This is all on you!! You better hope we don't see you or your loved ones on the business end of an endotracheal tube.

Gaddamit people! :(

Hay, naku, eto na naman tayo.. 😡

Just when I thought we were starting to get the handle on things, people really just have to mess things up by blindly doing something that kinda defies all logic..

Above picture lifted from the Inquirer Website

Here in the Philippines, there is this popular devotion to the image of the Black Nazarene, which is famously housed in Quiapo Church. Every year, during precovid times, there would be this procession called the "Translacion" which basically finds the image taking a trip from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church. This is to commemorate the transfer of the original (?) image from Intramuros to Quiapo.

 

It starts out benign enough. There is a mass at Quirino Grandstand where the image is surrounded by cops, then is loaded on to a truck for the journey to Quiapo.. . (Image credit: Rappler)

To say that it a very popular devotion is an understatement, as it attracts hordes of people ("devotees") who want to see and touch the image as it makes its' way to the aforementioned church. According to the Wiki article that I just linked to above, the crowd swells to roughly 220 thousand on a good day. What could go possibly wrong.. 😒

A LOT, that's what. 😒 (Image credit: Phil Info Agency)

Devotees fanatics would then converge on swarm the carriage, and the most intrepid would attempt to climb to the image to touch it or wipe a towel on it.

I have never really approved of this tradition. Apart from the fact that I personally dislike massive crowds, this is just too much..

No, REALLY (Image credit: Phil News Agency)

Although there are some people who may really be in it for religious reasons, there are a lot of those who just "go for the experience", or those youths who see the act of fighting through the crowds as an act of bravado that should be applauded. 😒 Some thrill seekers who justify their bumping bodies in the crowds as a way to atone for their sins, but go back to being crappy people afterwards anyway. It seems like such a charade if you ask me, and I'm pretty sure that it is very hypocritical for most of the people there. Trying to put up a show of "piety" for a few hours before going back like nothing has changed.

In my opinion, popular devotions are just that, popular. People do it because other people do it. Oftentimes the main value or spirit of the practice is lost because these people are in it for all the wrong reasons, without properly understanding why these things are done in the first place. If you think I'm just spewing a lot of hot air, how would you account for the countless injuries and occasional mortalities that have happened along the way as the cart makes its sloooooooooow transit from one point to the next? A horde of people shoving each other without regard for the safety of the people around them, whipped up into a frenzy at the prospect of touching an image? I'm sorry, but this is one aspect of my faith that I willfully ignore due to its barbarism and backwardness.. 😓

Devotions without proper discernment, or even just a basic understanding of the faith and practice, is utterly useless, and is just another totally human spectacle that is not worth anybody's time.

I'm not done though.. 😑 Take all of that frenzy, and put it right smack in the middle of a pandemic, and you then have 400,000 frickin' possible CoVID suspects attending what could most likely be one of the worst superspreader events in the world. And here I thought Filipinos were now much better than the Americans at being compliant with the rules.. Even though they thankfully did away with the actual transfer of the religious image, the fact that it was still celebrated and drew an alarmingly large crowd makes my head hurt.. Now we have to brace ourselves for a deluge of patients that would soon come by the droves at the hospitals.. And the bad thing is that these patients would not necessarily be the attendees from the religious event, but may merely be innocent relatives who are quietly sheltering at home, unaware that their devotee relative would be the death of them, literally.

Kung mamatay ang kamag-anak niyo, kayo ang may kasalanan nito. Don't blame us if we would be unable to save them, because they should not have gotten sick in the first place if it was not for you. Hindi namin kasalanan kung di mo kaya pigilan sarili mo na hindi sumunod sa mga payo ng marurunong. Hindi namin kasalanan na naging makasarili ka at 'di inisip ang kapakanan ng iba.

We will still do what we can, but it may no longer be enough. Regrets will always come later, after the irreversible has happened.. 

Now what?

What a crazy, crazy world we live in right now..

It is now a few days removed from Christmas, and things have remained pretty much the same.. COVID is still out there, politicos are still doing their thing, bullshitting people at the national level.. Sigh.. I won't go into specifics so as not to ruin my day..

Had a brief grocery run earlier. Compared to the lockdown much earlier this year, people seemed to have settled into the routine of living with COVID somewhat, and it actually gives me a bit of relief when I see almost everyone I encounter wearing both the face mask and shield, although there are still those morons who miss the point entirely and wear their face shields like a visor.. Whatever for though? To protect yourself from the sun? The freaking thing is transparent! Argh.. so frustrating.. and these seem to be educated people for that matter!

Stupid compliance aside, the numbers are holding stable for now, and I am extremely cautious of that fact.. The case count has not continued on it's downward trajectory that I noticed a week ago. I hate to say this, but we may need to brace for yet another surge at the start of the year, although I am HOPING that it won't be as bad as what we experienced early last year, with families decimated and people dying left and right..

I'm sorry to paint such a grim picture, but because it's the holidays, human nature tends to override common sense and precautionary measures. Christmas has already come and gone, and now we wait a couple of weeks to see if all our sacrifices up to this time have been for naught.. 😕

To my regular readers, I'm sorry for all the coronavirus posts as of late.. The ongoing crisis kinda takes the spotlight away from everything else these days.. I tried drafting a yearender post, but all these COVID things just keep popping up..

People are really just sick and tired of this COVID mess we all presently find ourselves in. The responses have gone from fear and panic, to caution and worry, to grudging acceptance and compliance, to doubt and skepticism, and now to exhausted indifference..

The disinfection routine I always do when I get home from outside is becoming quite the chore, despite the fact that it may very well be the one thing that is keeping the people here at home safe..Don't worry, I'm not about to just throw up my hands and give up on everything, but I fear I may get sloppy and careless due to the routine.

I have no idea how this pandemic will last, but given how this country is run, I'm pretty sure normalcy here will be delayed a couple of months compared to the rest of the world, because the politicos here  are just that damn selfish.. 😕

But still, my message remains the same: Keep your distance, mask and shield up, don't go out if you don't have do, don't gather just because you want to. Ayokong matulad tayo sa States, parang awa niyo na. Gusto ko nang matapos 'to. Sumunod na lang kayo, para naman makaahon na tayong lahat.

Christmas 'round the corner

"Nativity Scene" on iStock by Getty Images

December 23.. 2 days until Christmas 2020.. Wow.. 

This has got to be the most somber Christmas season I have ever experienced, which is understandable given the backdrop of an actual pandemic..

Having just read this article on  journal writing, it got me thinking about how I started out chronicling this year, and how I seem to have regret not painting a clearer picture of things as they were happening. Living through this pandemic for the ages is basically history writing itself, and it would be a shame if I wouldn't be able to make a worthy contribution, seeing as I am in a position to do so.

 Now that I finally have time off from the hospital, this is the perfect time to make an early retrospective. I have forgotten how liberating it feels to be rid of hospital responsibilities, overnight duties, and endless reports, even for just a brief period of time... Actually I have a pair of things that I would hopefully have started before I go back to the hospital, but I don't wanna talk about that now.

Taking a peek at the current COVID numbers, it seems to have leveled out somewhat, and we are waiting with bated breath in anticipation of a post-holiday spike in cases that we hope would not come about.. but these are Filipinos we're talking about, so I'm not really holding my breath.. I guess all we can do now is keep trying to protect our loved ones from harm and brace ourselves for another mad rush to the hospitals..

Yes, I have heard of the vaccine news.. but seriously, do you actually believe we will be getting the shots anytime soon? From China? Oh please, don't make me laugh.. You're talking about one of the most untrustworthy countries in the world right now, whose government always spews out how they never waged war on another country, but bullies their smaller neighbors into submission. If their vaccine is indeed as good as they claim, then why are they afraid of releasing the data behind it? This could bee because 1) their data sucks, and that would turn off anyone who would even think of buying from them, or 2) There is no data in the first place, and the TDK shots we may be receiving is just sterilized canal water for all we know. Remember, since religion is banned, the people in general tend to lack a sense of higher moral accountability, and thus would be inclined to just do anything to make a buck without caring how their methods would affect others. They are also on a nationalistic supremacy kick, and tend to look down upon people who are not from their "great" nation. Not good global citizens by any conceivable measure.

Enough about the virus originators though. I have had my fill of them to last a number of lifetimes already and do not need any more negativity, dishonesty, or selfishness in my life.

To day that this year was a perfect storm is a big understatement. I can't help but feel that the initial coronavirus situation (during the early part) was made worse by the mask-buying frenzy people suddenly went into after the eruption of Taal volcano way back in January. People snapped up supplies of N95 masks like hotcakes, since violence of the eruption had propelled ash to fall here in the metro. As a result, the usually ubiquitous N95 masks at the hospital were almost nowhere to be found when the COVID pandemic finally hit our shores.

It started as a slow trickle at first.. A few suspected patients with a lot of false negatives.. But testing was too damn slow, and precious slots for testing were greedily taken up by politicians who felt the need to flex their fragile egos and insecurities by jumping at the head of the line before those people who really needed it, and I guess the same truth would play out once the vaccine becomes available, if ever.

The first handful of confirmed patients were Chinese from the TDK mainland. No surprise there. Then came the cases from those who had gone abroad earlier. Based on the early trend I had observed, the private hospitals were the first ones the cry out "COVID surge" as their wards were suddenly filled to the brim with sick rich old people who often had a significant travel history, with numbers from the public hospitals considerably lagging behind (we have to bear in mind that the influx of recalled OFWs came at a much later month).

Then the panic buying started. I was caught in a couple of those situations, where supermarket lines seemed endless and unmoving, with people hurriedly snapping up whatever essentials they could get their hands on. Thankfully, the supply of toilet paper was never an issue in our poor little banana republic. 😜

Then the lockdowns came. Being a frontliner, it meant that I was still free to move about the metro with a simple flash of my ID or a glimpse of my scrubs. The situation on the road was so eerie to say the least.. The streets were close to deserted, and my normal morning commute of 45 minutes to an hour. was cut down drastically to 10-15 minutes. Roads were closed and checkpoints were manned by the police, which I welcomed wholeheartedly. All the police I had encountered were firm but polite, and gave you no hassle if everything was in order. They were doing their jobs, and I applaud them for that. 

Living under a lockdown was a bit strange, since nobody was really leaving the house. Having a free pass to move about, I took it upon myself to be the one who goes out for essential supplies every so often. Supermarket lines were tightly controlled, and nonessential businesses were shut down. The only place you could go to was the supermarket, and that often required a bit of creative navigation because some roads were closed between cities/municipalities and access was restricted for non-residents.

Eventually fellowship started in earnest, and the early adaptations we had to make in no way resembled what I thought I would be entering when I decided to apply last year. Having been displaced from the usual office of operations, I have to admit that it was getting really depressing as time wore on.. It felt like I was just going through the motions, but was not really getting anywhere..

As the year dragged on, lockdown measures were relaxed, but eventually were tightened again due to a second spike in cases, this time much greater than the first. This was also in  part due to the steady repatriation of OFWs who returned home, and the fact that the virus had already been spreading to other parts of the country. 

People slowly got used to the restrictions, and were really thankful as measures were relaxed somewhat, which meant that more people could get back out there to start earning a living again. Adjustments had to be made, obviously, but like I had said in previous posts, I think that the measures implemented (ESPECIALLY having mandatory faceshields in public) had made a considerable impact, because if you consider the fact that even thuigh more and more people are going out and commuting, the infection numbers have remained somewhat stable and may even be ever so slowly declining.

This is no reason to drop our guard though. We need to keep at it, to continue our lives but at the same time being responsible for yourself and for those around you. I honestly believe that this country can eventually pull through, as long as everyone stays smart and responsible, and won't try to be like the westerners, because whatever it is they are doing there, it definitely ain't working.

A lot of changes were forcibly adapted, as life must indeed go on. The conduct of important life events such as graduations and weddings were altered dramatically, and would forever be remembered a bit differently compared to what was the norm before.

Now we are at the final stretch of this seemingly endless ordeal of the year, and I am already itching to start anew. I hope the new year finds you well! Have  a happy holiday!

More numbers..

 I saw the graph again today.. I really do hope these numbers hold out...

While these numbers may seem a bit rosy, we still cannot be complacent. The virus IS still around, and it STILL CAN kill you or those around you if you get complacent. So please, this coming Christmas season, show some restraint and put those big celebrations on the backburner for a while. We've made it this far, don't ruin everything just because you think it's over already.

The mantra is still the same. Stay indoors if you can. Wash your hands. Wear your mask and shield. Keep your distance. Avoid unnecessary socializing. You won't die of suppressed extroversion, but your parents may die because of your hardheadedess.

So please, Philippines, let's keep at it.. Konting tiis na lang.. Wag tayong tulad sa mga 'Kano.. Kaya naman natin sumunod eh.. Lahat tayo gustong mabalik sa dati, pero di natin yung magagawa kung sarili lang iniisip natin.. Pakisama lang, para masaya tayong lahat next year..

The numbers game

 I was reading the news this morning when something caught my eye:

 Yes, that was from today.

It kind of boggles the mind though. Why would an advanced European country such as Belgium have such an overwhelming spike? I looked at the UK for comparison by searching "covid tracker" on Google":

Ganun din talaga eh. I didn't bother looking at the US data because I know that place is a disaster zone.

Than we have little old Philippines:

Admittedly, our coronavirus response was lackluster at best, but how come we are now seeing sustained decrease of the numbers despite the easing of lockdown measures started a few months ago? 

I would like to be optimistic and think that the Filipinos are more compliant to the pleadings of the health authorities to observe mask and face-shield wearing compared to the freedom-loving, put-a-meaning-into-anything West, and that is why the numbers are finally going down in a sustainable fashion. It wasn't pretty, and it still isn't in the provinces, where I hear the numbers are on the rise after a long time of quiescence.

I know it is a cliche to talk about Filipino resilience in times of crisis, but looking back people have tried to be compliant naman din kasi. Word was able to get out effectively that these are the steps that have to be done, and people have followed, sometimes grudgingly, but compliant nontheless. To bring up a stark comparison, you only need to look back at those news reports of foreign expats violently reacting when they are accosted by the authorities for having activities outside without a mask.

I'm sorry to say this, but if you want to prevent another spike in cases from happening here in the Philippines, we may have to ban travelers from these western hotspots especially those with people who are notorious for flouting the rules because they love their freedom too much (at the expense of good common sense). As much as I havea disdain for the TDK, I think it would be the lesser of two evils.

 

What can we do?

 I have been thinking a lot about how ordinary citizens can help each other out during this pandemic..

Being a healthcare worker, I fully advocate for continued distancing and the wearing of face coverings to help stem the tide of the disease, and though I still feel a need for lockdown measures, I am not naive to the fact that people are hungry and hurting, and that the economy really does need to be up and running if we are to avoid further catastrophe or devolution into anarchy.

Almost everyone has been tightening their belts throughout this crisis, and rightfully so, because it only makes sense to avoid unnecessary expenses during these times. The lockdown measures have forced a vast majority of establishments to close for months. As a result though, many business are shuttered for good, due to lack of income but continued costs (rent, utilities, consumables, etc). It saddens me to see many people being laid off, and beloved stores closing down..

Going back to the title of this post? What CAN we do? It is only logical that to get the economy going again, people don't just have to be selling stuff again, but people need to be buying stuff as well..

Those people who are fortunate enough to have a salary during this crisis may need to keep on spending (but not beyond your means obviously) in order to help the others stay afloat.

For example: Buy food from restos, who in turn would be able to pay their employees, as well as purchase from suppliers. These suppliers would then get income and be able to pay their employees as well. We need to pump life back into the economy so that everyone would be able to have spending power again.. I know that this is really easier said than done, but hey, you gotta start someplace, right?

People who apply for (undeserved) discounts should really stop doing that. I get those senior citizens who need the discount since they have retired and do not earn money anymore, or those ACTUAL PWDs whose impairments are impediments to getting a normal livelihood. But how about those FAKE PWDs who are perfectly healthy and functional who just paid off some guy at the city hall so that they can get their mocha frappes at a discount while hanging out at Starbucks? Or those millionaires with senior IDs (some of which are still not of age anyway) who VEHEMENTLY demand they get their discounts even though they really don't need it, and just want to get away with anything they could (typical greedy behavior wanting to take advantage of anything and everything)?

I am not telling the real seniors or PWDs to just give up their discounts, but for those who can afford it (myself included, as I have a physical impairment from childhood has resulted in some degree of permanent limitation to my locomotion), why don't we just scale back a little, until such time that everything is up and running again. A lot of people don't realize that the discount given to you is shouldered by the establishment you are purchasing from. I seriously doubt if the government fully compensates all of the 20% discounts that all these stores encounter. The cost needs to be shouldered by someone, and more often than not, it falls on the seller. 

In summary, I know that money is a little tight right now, but for those who are blessed to be still earning a living at present, help others out. I'm talking about propping up businesses by your purchases. There is a longer-lasting and more practical effect in keeping someone employed as opposed to just giving a one-time handout. Oh and if you can, avoid scrimping on essential services like haircuts. Tip a little more generously if you can afford it, especially since they have been out of work for a while. These people could use the money too. An example that comes to mind is going for the shampoo service after the haircut even though it seems a little pricey and not really necessary, as this gives the shop additional much-needed income.

I guess that's it. Be a little more generous, and don't be an asshole to others. We will all get through this together.

Spark

Feeling a bit inspired today, hence the workstarter post.

I can't really put my finger on it.. Maybe it is because of the unexpected one-day work break? Or the satisfaction I got after accomplishing some "atypical errands" that I would not be able to pull off on a regular day without taking time off from work? I dunno..

Or maybe it's that rare shot of caffeine I got a while ago from the milk tea we ordered for merienda. :P Oh damn, I'm gonna have reflux later, aren't I?.. 0_0

To be honest, things have been pretty dull as of late. Everyone seems to have settled into the daily grind with a grudging acceptance that Covid conditions at the hospital are not going to change anytime soon, and people are just trying to make the most of things and attempting to get on with their lives and daily duties.. It is just saddening when I think of all the training programs that were forced to adapt or outright be put on hold because of the pandemic. All of a sudden we are not training specialists enymore, but teaching a new generation how to manage a disease that the entire world is just learning to deal with.. Academic growth (apart from Covid knowledge) seems to have slowed to a crawl. In the Sleep Medicine program I presently find myself in, I find that I am sorely lagging behind  in terms of census requirements.. An extension is all but inevitable, but I hope that the additional months will still have a salary to go with it..

So much uncertainty about the future.. It can get really depressing at times...

I have been thinking about the future lately, and how my plans have taken a different shape with all that has been happening.. It is disheartening to think that we are now really living in the End-times, with all these disasters happening all across the globe, with no signs of letting up.. Seeing this forced us to reevaluate what we will be doing in the next few years.. Seeing how the guys are struggling with putting their kids to school under the current conditions makes us think twice about bringing another life into the world.. Its a sad reality, but I guess we just have to accept it... Oh, this post seems to have taken a more somber tone compared to when I started..

Despite that, I still named this post "Spark" since this is the most positive I have felt in the past couple of weeks.. Could it be a sign that things may finally get a bit better? Only time will tell, but for now, I gotta study and do some paperwork. Got a report in exactly a week, and I haven't really done jack squat. :P

Oh, I guess my current musical obsessions may have something to do with it, but that's a story for another post. ;)

FORWARDED - A Filipino Medical Frontliner's thoughts

Day in and day out, it has been exasperating to hear that many of the countrymen we are supposed to be serving are unfairly griping about how it is the healthcare sector's fault as to why the certain areas are placed under MECQ again. Personally, I think I have grown calloused already, and I just hope that after this entire pandemic is over (if this DOES ever end and I am still alive by then), that I will still be able to minister to the sick with the same amount of compassion that I have, because to tell you frankly, nakakasawa nang mag-alaga ng mga walang utang na loob.. Sobra na kaming dehado eh.. but I digress..

This circulating post seems to summarize what I want to say quite nicely (although it seems that the original poster is more empathetic).

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PLEASE SHARE, KINDA LONG BUT HE SHOULD BE HEARD:

Magandang araw po sa lahat,

Ako po si Brian S. Callanga, isang nurse sa isang COVID Hospital sa Manila. Ayaw kong gawin to pero sa tingin ko ay kailangan. Pinili ko ang social media dahil ito na ang best way para makaconnect ka sa maraming volume ng tao sa panahon ngayon. Wala naman na kasing nagbabasa ng dyaryo, sobrang busy na ng media sa dami ng kailangan nilang icover, pero ito na sana huling naisip kong paraan para maglabas ng hinaing ko.

Kanina bumili ako ng pagkain ko then I overheard other customers na naguusap about MECQ.
"Frontliners daw nagrequest niyan kasi magpapahinga sila"
"Frontliners din naman tayo, bakit di naman tayo napapagod"
"Pahirap naman yang mga yan"
"Pag naman pumunta ka sa ospital parang wala naman ding umaasikaso sayo"
"Susungit pa nang mga tao dun"
"Buti pa sila may sinasahod"

So ilan lang yan sa mga naalala kong words na mga sinabi nila. Bagong gising ako, galing ako sa nakakapagod na night shift, tapos gutom. Pinilit kong pakalmahin yung sarili ko at kinuha nalang yung order ko at umalis.

So ganito nalang, let me give you people a glimpse of what we are doing sa loob ng hospital.

OR nurse ako, pero dahil kulang na sa tao, naassign nadin ako sa COVID Wards and ICUs. So ganito ang mga common na sinasabi o tinatanong ng patients namin,

"Sir, sana pala hindi nalang ako lumabas"
"Sir, sana pala naging mas maingat kami"
"Sir, sana pala hindi muna ako pumasok"
"Sir, yung asawa ko admitted din sa kabilang hospital"
"Sir, ang hirap pala ng ganito"
"Sir, nasaan na si Mama, bakit wala po akong kasama dito"
"Sir, pag ba namatay ako, paglalamayan paba ako?"

Take note, yan yung mga patients na nakakapagsalita. Most of them matatanda na halos naghahabol ng hininga nila. Yung iba nakatubo na.

Di ba kayo kinikilabutan? Kasi kami halos araw araw kinikilabutan at halos di na namin alam ang isasagot namin sa kanila.

Hindi po namin gusto na kayo ay hindi makalabas at hindi makapaghanapbuhay, hindi po namin kasalanan itong mga nangyayari. Kami po ang talo sa parehas na sitwasyon, kasi kapag hindi kayo nakakain ng tama, sa ospital din ang diretso niyo. Kapag naman nahawa kayo sa labas, sa ospital din diretso niyo. Gets niyo po?

So ECQ vs GCQ, nung ECQ, sobrang bihira ng trauma cases namin dahil walang gaanong tao sa labas. Then here comes the GCQ, may mga naging cases kami ng nasaksak, gunshot wounds, and recently bata na nabaril ng tatlong lasing. And we have to treat them as PUIs kasi wala na kaming chance na intayin ang resulta ng swab nila dahil kailngan na sila iOR. Tsaka try to look at the number of cases per day between ECQ and GCQ. Sobrang laki ng gap diba? Check it yourself, punta ka sa ncov tracker ng DOH, check niyo yung bar graph after June 1 (start of GCQ). At uunahan ko na kayo, after 2 weeks ng mECQ, may posibilidad na hindi baba ang cases kasi some people pwede magkasymptoms after 14 days dba? So lahat ng mga naexpose kahapon, pwedeng magbibilang ka pa ng 14 days. Baka kasi sabihin niyo na wala naman palang silbi ang mECQ kasi hindi naman bumaba ang kaso sa 2 weeks.

Nakakatakot diba? Wala pa yan kasi hindi na magkasya dito yung ibang kwento namin. So sana kilabutan na kayo. Sinasabi ko lang sa inyo kung ano ang realidad. Kung paano makita ang sitwasyon first hand.

Kaya sa mga nagcocomment about sa mga frontiliners and sa sitwasyon ng Pilipinas, punta muna kayo kahit sa ER lang. Para malaman niyo kung gaano na kapuno ang ospital. O iPM niyo ako kung may tanong kayo, rereplyan ko kayo hanggat may energy pa ako. At suggestion lang sa mga nagcomment sa social media posts about sa situation, kung hindi niyo naman naexperience first hand, wag nalang kayo magcomment please. Manuod nalang kayo ng mga videos ng cute na mga aso o pusa, o kaya ng tumatakbong ostrich sa gitna ng siyudad, makimine nlang kayo sa mga live japan surplus na nagaalok ng mga porselana galing japan, tingnan niyo yung mga ulam na post ng mga kaibigan nyo, ang daming pwedeng gawin sa social media kung ito lang talaga ang ginagawa niyo mula umaga hanggang gabi, kesa magcomment pa kayo ng wala nman kayong idea kung ano nga ba talaga ang nangyayari, kasi words can hurt too. Wag nating gawing toxic ang social media, kaya nga siya social media kasi ginawa ito to socialize with other people hindi para idown ang kapwa.

Kung gusto niyo lumabas, bahala na kayo. Pero I encourage all na wag na kung hindi naman importante, kung lalabas man magsuot ng facemask at shield, magalcohol kapag humawak sa mga bagay bagay, maghugas ng kamay kapag may chance, umiwas sa mataong lugar, paguwi maligo at ibabad na ang damit sa sabon at zonrox. Sana hindi namin kayo makita sa ospital. Basta gagawin namin lahat ng makakaya namin kung sakaling kailangan niyong maospital, pangako yan. Kasi mas gusto namin na mabuhay kayo kesa mamatay, kasi pag namatay kayo at may covid kayo, itatry namin kayong irevive, tapos kapag wala na talaga, iinform ang families tapos ibabalot namin kayo sa dalawang body bag, tapos cremate. Wala ng lamay lamay, wala nadin chance ang families na makita ang bangkay niyo. Di ako nanakot, again, yan ang realidad, nangyayari siya sa totoong buhay, okay? Siyempre walang video nyan sa facebook baka maghanap pa kasi yung iba. Alam niyo ba kung gaano kabigat para sa aming mga healthworkers yon? Tao din kami may awa din kami sa kapwa naming tao.

Konting background lang, since March pa ako di nakakauwi sa amin, sa family ko kasi nandun yung takot ko na baka carrier ako dahil halos araw araw kaming nakaharap sa mga covid positive. Para akong nagabroad. Ni sarili kong pamilya hindi ko masamahan sa ganitong mga sitwasyon, dont worry naaccept ko na yun kasi part na siya ng pagiging nurse, sinasabi ko lang para lang makita niyo yung reality.

Sobrang haba na nito and I hate to say this dito sa social media pero there's no better way to reach people out without any physical contact. Di ako mapost na tao pero this time people need to know para mahinto na yung mga misunderstanding about sa timeout timeout na yan. KAHIT KAILAN HINDI NAGPAHINGA ANG HOSPITALS. SAN KAYO NAKAKITA NG HOSPITAL NA SARADO KASI HOLIDAY. HINDI LANG KAYO MATANGGAP NG IBA KASI WALA NG PAGLAGYAN. PARA SA ATING LAHAT ANG ECQ NA ITO LALONG LALO NA SA INYO. KUNG PATULOY NA DADAMI ANG CASES BAKA SA HALLWAY NA KAYO MAADMIT BAKA UMABOT PA SA POINT NA KAILANGAN NIYO MAGDALA NG FOLDING BED PARA MAY MAHIGAAN KAYO, MAHIRAP O MAYAMAN.

To my fellow healthworkers, share your stories para malaman ng tao kung ano ba talaga ang ginagawa natin. Alam ko na meron pang mas malalang sitwasyon kaysa sa nararanasan ko. Stay strong, healthy and pray for the wellbeing ng buong sambayanan. God knows how we are doing our best to be a blessing sa bawat tao na nakakasalamuha natin.

Pahinga lang saglit,
Brian

It's been about 4 months already..

I should be reading a book right now in preparation for a case presentation/lecture this coming week, but lemme get this article off my chest real quick..

Coronavirus cases are once again on the rise across the globe, although obviously with different rates of infections among the different nations. This is the dreaded second wave, and it shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon..

Here in the local setting, the sudden spike in cases occurring approximately 2 weeks after the easing of lockdown measures did not really come as a surprise, but quite frankly I was hoping that it would not come to this.. I still look back and think about what went wrong, and if there was anything the Philippines could have done better given how the country and its people are?.. It is quite easy to imagine an ideal scenario where variables are at a minimum, and situations can be idealized, but this perspective requires a real-world approach, given the sham that passes for governance in this banana republic, as well as the apparent disdain for authority and common sense that the people seems to posses on such a large scale..

People are nearing the breaking point, and that includes the healthcare workers as well.. It is actually quite demoralizing when you have been toiling and living with anxiety for more than a quarter of the year, and yet the tide seems insurmountable. I perfectly get those HCWs who have resigned or decided to back away from the profession, especially since support from government agencies seems to not be forthcoming.. And there is also the issue of rumblings from an ungrateful public who we want to keep safe and prevent them from flooding the hospital.

Its so frustrating. The government always harps about creating new beds and wards without giving much thought to adding people to man those extra areas and tend to those beds. Instead, they expect the preexisting staff (some of whom are falling ill already) to pick up the slack with no end in sight.

I do not claim to be a policy-making genius, so I shall refrain from making any bold suggestions or change in policy since that is clearly beyond my pay grade, but I wish we would get a bit more consideration from the Health ministry and less of these insulting statements from politicians who have absolutely no idea how it is to serve at the frontlines of a pandemic (and no Cayetano, hindi ka frontliner kahit ano pang sabihin mo, unless you go out there every day and face people with the disease, or even more terrifying, facing people who may have the disease but don't know it)

A special shoutout to our non-medical co-frontliners (AFP/Police, delivery peeps, grocery staff, food and beverage staff, pharmacy staff, bank staff, etc) who were there with us from the very beginning when the streets were still deserted and the people were cowering in fear. I never got to thank you for bravely standing with us during those dark and troubled times. Kaso, hindi pa po tapos ang laban natin, and unfortunately it has been getting worse..

I understand the need to open up businesses to keep the economy afloat. Its just common sense that people need to work to eat, and having a prolonged closure of businesses will cause them to fail and shutter down for good.

I have often blogged with a bit of a positive tone because I was cautiously optimistic, but now I guess I'm just too tired of everything to still be an optimist.

They say the that a vaccine is on the horizon. The bad side though, is that it will be coming from China. With that being the case, it's going to be like playing a game of russian roulette. You have a sizeable chance of falling ill, suffering from different side effects, or getting Covid after inoculation, for the simple reason that you never know what the real deal is when you are dealing with China.

Are they just giving you a vaccine that does not really work that well to generate a tidy profit? Did they rush vaccine development or had skipped certain phases of trials in order to corner the market? Honestly I wouldn't put it past them. Based on behaviors I have noticed, China has demonstrated that it is one of the most morally bankrupt countries in the world. They have no respect for intellectual property, they knowingly sell substandard goods, have no regard for the primacy of human life, and will draw a few goddamn dashes on an old map and claim territory that does not even conform to the shape of their actual coastline. Y u so selfish China? Didn't your mother teach  how to share and get along with other kids? Oh, I forgot. Communists. Without any belief in a higher power and a sense of reckoning for the last day, you get a system which exists only for itself without any empathy for others.

It is just unfortunate that while China continues it's ascent into the asshole bully of the world, the United States, once recognized as the peacekeeping superpower, has fallen so far, from the shining example of a working democracy, to the laughingstock of the world. This was all because the Americans elected someone who seemed to best embody what they were really like at their very core, a loud obnoxious bully who would do anything to get ahead, has no sense of propriety and no respect for others. Good luck shaking that pathetic image in the next 10 years or so.

Ok, so this entry went from local problems to geopolitics in a mater of a few paragraphs.

I'm actually tired of reading about the situation in the US, because man, these people cannot get their shit together! People are as selfish as you would expect, and they seem to love there freedom more than life itself. I have often said that the US is a perfect example of the perils of giving too much freedom to the people, such that they end up making bad/stupid/unsafe decisions just because they want o do what they want.,

I guess thats's enough for one night.

Past the midpoint

Wow, it's July already! We've already done six months of this crazy shitshow we call 2020. To think that everything seemingly started (from a local standpoint at least) with an unprecedented volcanic eruption..

Then the virus showed up. A country did what it did best (conceal information) and the resulting payout was an actual pandemic. Way to go. #sarcasm

To tell you frankly, I'm really sick of this virus and everything it has changed.. If you think about it though, everything DID change, and not necessarily for the better. I now often find myself longing for the so-called "good old days". I'm not just talking about immediately pre-Covid here, but of decades before when life was simpler and people seemed a bit more decent (I think?)

I think it's great that the government has finally thought of bringing back "Good Manners and Right Conduct" to the curricula. Too many shitty kids growing up into shitty adults already. The question remains.. Why did you only think of it now?

My optimism was dampened somewhat with the recent reports of a new peak in Covid cases reaching more than a thousand. It is no surprise that it coincided with the relaxing of restrictions. I understand that people have to get out in order to restart the economy, but why do people have to be so irresponsible though?

I read a news article the other day that a pair of individuals from the same household had passeddue to Covid, and that the infection could be traced to a get-together the family had to (probably) celebrate the return of a family member (repatriated OFW?). Frankly, I'm, not surprised. It would suck if I were the index case and I survived though. I would have to like out the rest of my life knowing that their deaths fall squarely on me and probably my irresponsibility.

With the relaxation of rules, more people are now going out, and my parents are no exception. Even though they hardly go out (thank goodness). Like any good son, I would like to keep them safely tucked at home, but would not deny them a bit of travel when needed (haircuts, etc), but the logistics of trying to keep them safe can be really exhausting.. 😟 My only consolation is at least they complied to my specifications this time around, so my heart is not so heavy with worry anymore.

Still, I find myself maintaining a heightened level of paranoia around my parents. Every little cough or yawn makes my hair stand on edge as I nervously wait of there are any other signs or symptoms.. There is still that ever-present fear that I might bring the virus home, and the results would be catastrophic. 😟

I grow tired of the disinfection routine I have performed since the lockdown of shedding clothes and soaking in bleach before entering the house to take a quick shower, plus the other little precautions I take. Be that as it may, I constantly remind myself that "Any lapse, or any breach may result in disaster for the family", so I carry on.

Sleep Med has been getting more and more interesting as of late. I'm finally getting the hang of reading the somnograms, and am now a bit more confident in dealing with patients on my own before referring them to the consultants. Looking back, I still can't believe that I'm an actual fellow-in-training again, 😅, but as I go along, I also realize that it was the best possible move I could make at the time, and has paid off until now. and in a few months' time, I will be better than ever! 😉 I just hope I can finish all these requirements and pass the board examinations though. 😅😅😅

USA, anyare?

I will let the graph speak for itself..

Grabe lang ha..

News from the frontlines

* 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.

With bated breath..

So tomorrow the Metro will finally be placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ). While this relaxation of quarantine rules means that further economic activity can proceed, it also comes with a sudden increase in people on the road. Granted that more activity would be welcome in light of all the sacrifices people had to make while adhering to the rules of quarantine, but I can't help but be a little bothered by the fact that Filipinos are notorious for not following the rules, or at least trying to pakiusap their way out of everything. Its just sad that the Filipino mindset like is that of a privileged beggar:

"Kawawa ako kasi tinatamad akong maglakad pa ng onti kaya kailangan pagbigyan mo ako kahit tumawid ako ng wala sa tamang tawiran", or

"Dapat pagbigyan mo ako sa di ko pagsunod sa traffic light kasi nagmomotor ako, kaya nga nakamotor kasi walang pera bumili ng kotse", or even

"Kotse ka at motorsiklo ako, so dapat pagbigyan mo ako dumaan kahit na parang gago ako magmaneho, at kasalana mo kung magkabungguan tayo kahit na maayos ka naman magmaneho, dahil ikaw ang mas malaki ang sasakyan".

These are typical scenarios I encounter every day, even during this quarantine period. Nakakainis lang. Mahirap maawa kung alam mong kinukupal ka lang. Don't get me wrong, people in big cars are sometimes jackasses too. There's just so much jackassery to go around, but those jerks on two wheels are just too much!

Ok, traffic rant over.. A lot of people are making gloomy predictions about the outcome of this GCQ because lets face it, wala ka namang maasahan sa mga tao. Marami ang pasaway na di susunod diyan. These individuals would then probably spread the disease, and would render other people's efforts to properly distance, wash up, stay indoors, moot and immaterial. If we're lucky, these troublemakers would end up as casualties of the disease and we would be better off without them..

We at the frontlines continue to toil away, and we are faced with the potential of a larger wave that would come crashing down on everything we have worked hard for up to this point. Nakakapagod na, but we have no choice except to go on, because if we don't, then who will? So for those people, do what you like, flaunt your gross inability to follow the rules. I'll be waiting to see you on the opposite side of a body bag zipper.

The reintroduction of productivity

There's (hopefully) about a week left of the Modified ECQ  (Enhanced Community Quarantine) that was imposed here at the Metro. I would think that things have "stabilized" a bit. Relaxing the measures has helped a bit, as more people are now able to return to work, and the streets look a lot less lonelier.

Make no mistake, I still, and will always advocate for proper social distancing measures, frequent hand-washing, wearing of masks out in public, and other interventions that have stemmed the tide of this pandemic thus far. I'm not a fan of people going out and being stupid just because, and I feel that those people (who do something stupid without cause) deserve whatever infection they manage to get if they are irresponsible about it.

I'm just so tired of everything. Yes, as a front-liner, I do get to go out daily instead of being cooped up at home, but as what I have said in a previous post elsewhere, being on the front lines does not exempt you from being afraid for your life, or the lives of the people around you who are dear to you.. I have taken measures to make sure I minimize the risk I bring home to my family, even once doing laundry in the middle of the rain just so that my dirty clothes will be properly disinfected before anyone else gets to be exposed to them (I prepare a bleach soak when I get home, and we have an open laundry area). Despite all the disinfection routines I do, I'm still fearful because at the back of my mind, any lapse, any breach, any careless moment, could still hurt my family in ways I do not want to imagine.

Taking stock of the recent numbers that I find here, the numbers have appeared to have stabilized somewhat, and that is in spite of increased testing capabilities, so hopefully the numbers will be more reflective of the actual situation on the ground.

180 new cases in the face of an average daily increase of 200+ is not exactly a total win, but I'll take what I can.. Number of new COVID deaths is in the single digits.. Still not good since people are still dying, but I would say its' a little better than the peak of 50 mortalities last April 13..

Everyone is getting tired of this, especially the people at the hospitals.. I could see it in the faces of the nursing staff, the training fellows, and even the consultants. Despite their smiles, there is a palpable sense of weariness, and a desire to see the end of all this.. Our colleagues at other institutions have already taken strides to reopen their other services in order to serve the greater part of the population who are suffering from ailments other than COVID. These efforts are commendable and are very well thought-out and inspiring. We actually hope to be able to resume other services soon also, to introduce some hint of normality into our institution that has underwent massive changes in order to accommodate the patients with the disease. I just hope there isn't another surge, because even though we are still functional and healthy, a second wave could very easily break the spirits of everyone ...

I mentioned that I was cautiously optimistic, and still I remain so. I guess it helped a lot that I was able to enter a mall again to get stuff other than groceries. It was also refreshing to see other stores and stalls open again, and am hoping for everybody's sake that things will only get better from here on in.

Training has been going great, and we have streamlined certain new procedures as we adjust our way of doing things. These measures are not exactly the most efficient, but I guess getting something done is better than nothing. I just hope I will be able to complete the required census of patients before the training year ends..

Our center has the dubious reputation of being a COVID referral center, and it would be understandable if patients have apprehensions of coming in for consult. as things get better though, we can show everyone that everything is under control, and things could get back to the way they are (for the most part anyway).