The forceful imposition of a lockdown in Luzon was ordered by the President to put the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) dead on its tracks.
The Covid-19 was able to leap-frog from the National Capital Region to the nearby provinces because the people who did not know that they carried the virus went rushing to their home cities and towns in anticipation – and in fear – of a lockdown.
If we allow the untramelled movement of our people, the greater and the faster the spread of the virus would be. The reason is because each one of us is a potential, if not already, a carrier of the virus.
The very purpose of a lockdown is for us to stay at home. If we go out from our residences, we will be in close physical proximity with those we will be meeting on the streets, as well as with those we will bump into, or inter act with, in our respective destination. The exposure and infection to anyone carrying the virus happen at this stage.
When we go back to our homes, unknowing that we have already been exposed to – or infected by – the virus, we will contaminate the members of our family and the domestic helpers, by just being less than a meter away from anyone of them, which almost always we are. We transmit the virus by touching the surfaces of our furniture or dining utensils, as well as opening the doors as we move around the house. When we or the members of the household go out from our houses the following day for whatever reason or any errand we need to perform, we necessarily get in contact with other people who go out of their houses to be in their places of work or to go to the malls, groceries, drug stores, wet markets, banks, transportation terminals, airports and other business places.
This is where the spread of the virus goes exponentially. It means you infect one individual and the latter infects all the people he meets or comes in contact with. The infected ones infect others, and the others transmit the virus to more people who instantly become coronavirus carriers.
The process continues until we have a contagion, which we have now. That is why we need to stay at home and stay put, so that each one of us will not be contaminating one other. By staying at home, we abruptly cut the chain of spreading Covid-19 because the virus will be at a standstill.
If we isolate the area where there are infected persons, then we save the rest of the community from being exposed to – or infected by – the deadly virus.
This is the raison d’etre why we need to observe the protocols on hygiene, the constant washing of the hands as it kills the spread of the virus if we already have it, the wearing of protective gear like the surgical mask when we go out of our homes when we have colds, cough or fever to protect others from catching the same symptoms of the virus, thereby not transferring it them. Social distancing is a must, which means we will have to be not less than one meter close to the next person so that if either one of us is infected, there is no chance for the virus to transfer to the next potential virus carrier.
Our national survival is at stake. The protocols and guidelines established by the government are simple enough. All we need to do is to observe them. Self-discipline is the key to the success of the lockdown. To be sure, there will be inconvenience and discomfort as we go about our daily lives in these trying times and under this restricted environ. There will be huge losses in business and dislocation in our economy. At times, we are placed in the heights of depression and in the depths of boredom. However, we are all called upon to sacrifice and to practice self-denial of pleasures and amenities to save ourselves and others, and ultimately this nation.
As we walk along this tortuous path to survive, let us take this forced home quarantine an opportunity to bond with our family. Our bonding with our loved ones has been considerably reduced by the demands of our daily routine and the use of high-tech communicating devices. Let us resurrect the old fashioned way of showing our affection with each other by just being together in these perilous times.
We are once again dared to rise to the challenge hurled by the gods of destiny to halt the unseen deathly force of a virus that put our people in the precipice of destruction.
As we respond to the trumpeting call for unity among all Filipinos, regardless of political and religious beliefs, let us in unison pray to the omnipotent God of all nations, of whatever name it is known, for guidance and protection. Let us pray that Its glorious divine rays shield us from this scourge of a disease that has engulfed the entire world.
With the loving and caring grace of the Almighty, and the unity of all Filipinos, we shall prevail!
