Pandemia ka lang, I am Filipino

What is Covid-19?

According to World Health Organization (WHO), Covid-19 is caused by SARS-CoV 2, a new strain of coronavirus. WHO first discovered this disease, December 2019, when a report was made stating that there is a cluster of ‘viral pneumonia’ in Wuhan, China.

How it is transmitted?

COVID-19 is usually transmitted when an infected person had a close or direct contact with another person. The virus can spread when an infected person cough, sneeze, speak, sing or even when they breathe heavily. It can also spread when infected people contaminated a certain object meaning they sneeze, cough on, or touch surfaces such as doorknobs, tables and handrails. People who will touch these contaminated surfaces may also be infected.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms are fever, dry cough and fatigue. You will know if a person has severe type of COVID-19 if they experience difficulty in breathing, loss of appetite, confusion and a body temperature above 38 °C . People, regardless of age, should seek immediate medical care if they experience symptoms which are associated with severe type of COVID-19.

COVID-19 IN THE PHILIPPINES

The first recorded case in the Philippines was confirmed on January 30, 2020, when a 38-year old woman from Wuhan, China tested positive for the novel coronavirus. On March 7, the first local transmission was recorded which indicates locations where the source of infection is within the reporting location. As of November 30, 2020 in the Philippines, a total of 431,630 cases have been recorded with 398,658 recoveries, 24,580 active cases, and 8,392 deaths.

PROTECT YOURSELF

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, besides from the given picture above, we must do precautionary measure such as practicing physical distancing and avoiding going to crowded areas. In our country, the government implemented forced community quarantine where eventually the lives of the people have stopped with just a flick of a hand; no work, no transportation and no mass gatherings which somehow helped in controlling the spread of the virus. Filipinos were obliged to practice safety protocols that was instructed by Department of Health such as wearing face masks and face shields together with practicing proper physical distancing whenever they go out.

Students in pandemic

Due to the pandemic, not only students but also teachers are having a hard time adjusting to the new normal set up of classes. All classes will be held online because students are not allowed to go to school in order to help in preventing the virus to spread. In our country, not all students are privileged enough to attend online learning. They lack resources like laptop and cellphones that will be used in this kind of learning and also they do not have a very conducive place to learn. In addition to this, they also experience a lot of stress because of many distractions like having a bad internet connection and different noises around them. Even though, we, students are having problems in adjusting in the new normal, we can always find ways on how to eventually adapt with this kind of set up. For me, time management is the most important thing that must be practiced right now especially when having online classes in order to submit the requirements needed on time. In my case, I usually use my free time to take some rest to be able to clear my mind. Also, having time with our families will be a great help in having a positive mood during this kind of situation.

Filipino Youth

We cannot remove the fact that people, whether a child or an adult, can be affected by this pandemic. We, Filipino Youth, can help in many ways. By simply following the guidelines that is instructed to us is a good way to help in minimizing the spread of the virus. We can also help in educating other people by using our knowledge when it comes to social media to prevent giving fake news. When the government’s response is too underwhelming for us, we can always voice out and be a part of the solution. We must always remember that during this kind of situation, cooperation is needed in order to defeat an enemy we cannot see.

REFERENCES:

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (2020, October 12). Retrieved November 29, 2020, from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): How is it transmitted? (2020, July 09). Retrieved November 29, 2020, from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-how-is-it-transmitted

100 days of COVID-19 in the Philippines: How WHO supported the Philippine response. (2020, May 09). Retrieved November 29, 2020, from https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/100-days-of-covid-19-in-the-philippines-how-who-supported-the-philippine-response