Musings in an Era of a Global Pandemic

Paul Joseph T. Galutira, MD, MHA, FPPS, FPSN, FPNSP

 

We are past two years since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. This has led to a drastic turnaround not only amongst us Filipinos but also for every individual worldwide who seemed to be living a normal life. Perhaps only a few had an inkling that this may happen to us, but the majority were caught empty-handed to fight this disease. Each of us was trapped in our homes as we tried not to be infected with this airborne virus that has caused much suffering and even claimed the lives of some of our family members and friends. 

 

But during those darkest moments of the pandemic, the resilience of healthcare systems globally was tested. We have established countless protocols which were constantly revised to help ease the burden of every hospital who were pushed against the wall to take care of sick individuals. Every frontliner was called a hero and health was placed at the pinnacle of importance for every nation. The fear of getting infected with the virus is always at the back of our minds which paved the way for most of our pre-pandemic activities turning to be virtual. As a recap, these are the things which helped us survive during this pandemic:

 

1. Masks and face shields that covered our faces gave us difficulty in recognizing other people. It hid the smiles that we wanted to project but at the same time kept our sad faces when we felt tired and overwhelmed.
2. Handwashing was strongly emphasized as one of the measures which will protect us from being infected with the virus. Good thing that there was a steady supply of water from Maynilad and Manila Water.
3. Alcohol and disinfectant are a must in the hospital and in our homes. They have been used as if they are perfumes that you need to spray all over your body.
4. Social distancing was coined to emphasize the need for physical separation which makes it difficult for the virus to be transmitted. One felt uneasy if he/she is being touched by another individual. Handshaking was replaced with fist bumps. 
5. The official daily uniforms were personal protective equipment (PPE) and scrub suits. Forget about the expensive branded clothes and bags you bought from Prada, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel.
6. Online activities such as lectures, forums, and the like have led us to “zoom fatigue.” I know everyone is guilty of listening to two or three of their gadgets simultaneously.
7. Telemedicine has gained popularity and replaced physical consultations between physicians and patients. Although this has some limitations, it is still the best and safest way for a patient to secure a prescription.
8. Getting all people or at least a good number of them vaccinated to achieve herd immunity was the ultimate target of our government. This is the way to prevent further infection, mutation of the virus, and future waves of the disease.

 

All of the changes in our everyday existence helped us realize that we can live and survive a simple life. We dropped our travel bucket list and set aside these plans while waiting for other countries to relax their borders. What most we can do is post on social media our past vacations and beautiful throwback selfies. We were all demanding a fast and unlimited internet connection so that all family members could quickly connect to the WIFI. Many were glued to Netflix to watch their favorite shows, series, and Kdramas.  This kept our sanity intact as we fought mental health issues that came along with this pandemic.

 

With the constant reminder of the government to adhere to minimum public health safety standards and the cooperation of every individual, we will be able to survive this pandemic. We are all dreaming of the day that we can go outside of our homes not wearing a mask. A moment that I can feel that it is just around the corner.