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Back to Basics

According to Johns Hopkins University, over 19 million people have contracted COVID-19 as of August 9, 2020.  The Philippines has a total of 129,913  confirmed cases—of which 59,970 are active, 2,270 are deaths, and 67,673 are recoveries.  

Each day, the Department of Health holds press briefings and closely works with a task force that has worked diligently since its creation. The Philippines now ranks number 1 in testing capacity in Southeast Asia for confirmed and active cases.  

With our increase in testing capacity, full health campaign for combatting COVID-19, and a cooperative nation wearing masks, what else is missing?  Given these measures, the Philippines should be having less cases.  

Getting the Fundamentals Right 

Filipinos seem to be overwhelmed with the deluge of instructions as well as misinformation and disinformation. Though the Department of Health(DOH) is endorsed as the official source of local data, and the World Health Organization for global data, there are just to many well-meaning people who forward unverified information.

DOH sought a new endorser, the popular actor, Alden Richards, to proclaim its new campaign—BIDA Solusyon. It’s a catchy phrase, playing on the Filipino word bida, which means “the lead star”. BIDA Solusyon, which wittingly sounds like “Be the Solution”, shows in part animation how to combat COVID-19. BIDA serves as an acronym for four steps: 

 

BBawal walang mask. 

IIsanitize ang mga kamay; iwas-hawak sa mga bagay.

D Dumistansiya ng isang metro.

AAlamin ang totoong impormasyon.

 

The messaging is light and friendly, and easy to digest.  

 

Gaps in the Messaging

But the acronym, though clever, seems to be missing a step in achieving ”minimum health standards”. Before wearing a mask, one should wash hands properly with soap and water, scrubbing them for at least 20 seconds as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before rinsing. When one uses dirty and infected hands to put on the mask, the preventive measure becomes ineffective.

The public’s proper and consistent compliance spells the difference between life and death. But with this massive campaign on handwashing and hand sanitizing, there is also a need to consider areas with no running water and basic facilities for sanitation. How can people wash their hands with water and soap when there’s no water to begin with?

 

Masking the Problem

The WHO has already approved cloth masks as basic protection. This cannot be emphasized enough: masks need to be worn at all times outside the home, especially when one is in an enclosed space with other people.  

Proper use of the mask means having the nose and face covered and securing it under the chin. Make sure the sides of your face are covered, but also check if you’re breathing easily. Don’t let it rest on your chin or forehead as contact with exposed skin may result in a contaminated mask.

After using a disposable mask, remove it from behind and discard it in a closed bin. Make sure to wash cloth masks after use. And most importantly, wash hands with soap and water after using masks. 

The words to remember when wearing masks are properly, correctly, and consistently.

 

Utilizing TV for Information 

According to Digital 2019, a report from Hootsuite and We are Social, 76 million Filipinos are internet users, all of them on social media. But our internet speed remains at a dismal 19 mbps, a tenth of Singapore’s fixed connection speed of 190.9. Also, there are still areas in the Philippines without proper internet infrastructure and poor cellular signal.

At this time, the government has to fully utilize its TV and radio broadcast channels to disseminate information on health, agriculture, and entrepreneurship. To retool and upskill citizens, trainings from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and even first aid, can be broadcast through mass media—with testing and accreditation to be done in barangays.

 

Going Analogue

The DOH recently launched an app for contact tracing. Upon a recent audit, the country’s new contact trace czar Benjamin Magalong found the contact tracing system of cities and barangays lacking.

But even in our own homes, we can employ our own simple system with just  a piece of paper and a pen. By dividing the paper into columns of Date, Time, Venue, Activity and People We’ve Interacted with, we can maintain a contact trace system in our household, making it easier for authorities to respond should one be confirmed positive for COVID-19.  

 

Getting the Basics Down Pat

Going back to basics, getting the fundamentals right is a simple exercise that we can all do.  Ask yourself today—did you wash your hands properly?  Did you wear your mask properly? 

Perhaps our leaders can also ask themselves—is everyone equipped with running water to ensure their health and safety? What is the best way to disseminate information? Does everyone have a home to seek refuge in while the deadly virus roams freely outside? Before we run, we need to first walk. Before we can help save lives,  we must be able to help ourselves first.

The COVID-19 pandemic is teaching us lessons the hard way, but with proper planning, we don’t need to learn them the hard way.  

 

 

Donna May Lina

9 August 2020