By Robert B. Roque, Jr.
As we are all jolted back to the reality that COVID-19 is real, seething, and vicious, let’s think long and hard on what brought us here to a record-high 5,000 new infections a day.
And for our sake, let’s stop the Palace charade that it’s been doing “excellent” or “very well” in managing this pandemic. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. can harp on this in his every interview ‘till he actually believes it, but until the upward trend in COVID-19 cases continues and four million people who lost their jobs remain unemployed, it is just not true.
Our government is so hooked on setting as parameters the prevailing fatality rate of 2.09 percent or the capacity of the health sector to absorb severe cases of the disease as achievements in this fight against the pandemic – arguments that certainly allow Roque to pat the IATF and the National Task Force against COVID-19 on the back however hunched these backs are from the weight of other critical statistical truths.
Last Sunday, we woke up staring at DOH figures tallying 616,611 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 5,000 new infections; 56,679 active cases; 547,677 recovered cases; and 12,766 deaths. Those are some of our country’s worst day figures as we marked the first weekend anniversary of this global health crisis.
To continue treading on the false premise that the Duterte administration is doing “very well” in handling this crisis right now, from where we all stand is quicksand under our feet. It is a mentality in the same groove as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s skeptical view of COVID-19 when it first emerged last year. He called it a “little flu” and insisted not to be vaccinated even if his government launched its mass vaccination program.
Even this “coronavirus denier” came around last week, facing the truth with a face mask on and signing into law three new measures to expedite the purchase of vaccines. However, it was a long wait to realization and decisive action, which cost his nation of 212 million people 11.278 million COVID-19 cases and 272,889 deaths – including 2,233 deaths last March 11 alone. WHO places Brazil at second spot with the most number of cases globally and credited it for a mutation of the virus that has gifted the new “Brazilian variant of concern.”
Will somebody please drive a truck loaded with good sense into the gates of Malacanang? Perhaps, one of scientific and statistical sense like this post I stumbled over from Raffy Evangelista, and I quote: “Our recent best batting average, vaccination-wise is approximately 30,000 vaccinated persons in one week. If our total population is 100 million, 70% (to achieve herd immunity) is 70 million. 70 million divided by 30 thousand equals 2,333 weeks. 2,333 weeks equals 44 years. If we keep vaccinating at our current rate of 30,000 persons, it will take the Philippines 44 years before it will achieve herd immunity!”
Consider that as the pretext of our battle against COVID-19, Spox Roque. For clearly, the Philippines is not vaccinating enough nor effectively, while the incidence of infections is moving fast in the wrong direction. And for our general public, know that our government can only do so much; and it isn’t even doing that much.
So, let’s not rejoice that we’re not reverting to lockdowns that effectively arrested the big surge we experienced last July. Instead, let’s focus on heightened awareness and a burning commitment to keep ourselves, our families, and our communities safe by abiding by minimum health safety protocols. Yes, these rules and this isolation at home can wear us down, but it’s a responsibility we bear, and it’s a battle we best win at home.
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Right before this column was sent to print, this corner learned Spox Roque contracted COVID-19. It is my prayer that he recovers quickly and does so with better perspective of what we’re all up against.
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