News and UpdatesIn the NewsCoViD-19 alters way of life

CoViD-19 alters way of life

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Old habits die hard, but as the pandemic of the coronavirus disease continues to infect thousands of people worldwide, normal life here in this University Town is being upended.

People using their backs to open doors, or pushing doors with their feet, giving pats in the back instead of handshakes, standing about three feet apart from another, or runners giving high fives in the air are just some of the behavior not necessarily common until recent weeks.

On Wednesday, Silliman University announced the cancellation of the traditional Honors Day and the 107th graduation ceremonies, following Gov. Roel Degamo’s Executive Order to “prohibit the convergence of more than a hundred people in public events and gatherings” in the Province.

“This is sad,” said Dr. Rose Maxino-Baseleres, “because I had been looking forward to see my son Diorson graduate from law school and be conferred with a Juris Doctor degree.”

The two-day Job Fair for Silliman graduating seniors, scheduled on March 16, has also been cancelled. And so with the hosting of the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association here by the Department of Education.

The more than 1,000 graduating students from Silliman have been advised to claim their diplomas or their medals from the Registrar’s office, and may opt to return to the campus to join the graduation ceremony in March 2021.

People now also seem wary of going to the hospitals after a 62-year-old tested positive of CoViD-19 by Wednesday.

The patient was first admitted at Ace Dumaguete Doctors hospital, but was transferred four days later to the ICU at the SU Medical Center after his condition deteriorated.

In a statement issued on March 11, the SU Medical Center said they had accepted a patient at dawn of March 10 who was transferred from Ace Dumaguete Doctors Hospital.

“While the transfer of one patient to another hospital usually happens for better management and care, there may have been a lapse in the manner this particular patient was transferred, there being no full disclosure and transparency on the condition of the patient to the receiving hospital”.

Ace Dumaguete Doctors has belied the claims of lack of transparency.

In an official statement released Thursday noon, Ace Doctors said the patient was admitted in their hospital on March 6 for body malaise and vomiting. They added that it was only when the patient developed respiratory symptoms by March 10 that they considered him as a Person under Investigation for CoViD-19.

The deterioration of the patient’s condition compelled the family to insist on transferring him to the SU Medical Center.

Ace Doctors in the statement claimed they had “communicated with various medical personnel of the other healthcare institution to facilitate the transfer” and that they “did not hide anything” from the other healthcare institution.

As of noon of March 10, SUMC has not accepted new admissions to the ICU, “following principles of isolation, containment, and crowd control”, and will be referring them to other hospitals.

Dumaguete is also home to two other health facilities: Holy Child Hospital and the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital.

SUMC also imposed quarantine measures for their medical staff and the patients’ bantays who were at the ICU premises on March 10. They have been provided adequate sleeping quarters and meals for the duration of the 14-day quarantine, the statement said.

According to SUMC President/Administrator Roberto D. Montebon, they have also provided their medical personnel with the appropriate protective gear, and placed temporary doors at the hallway for isolation and containment purposes.

Sociologist Dr. Enrique Oracion noted that he did not see the usual crowd of patients waiting for their turn at the hospital when he visited there during the week. He said it may be due to the now-regulated entry to hospitals to minimize contact and infection.

“Dealing with the unknown makes all of us vulnerable to infection, and in panic mode on finding ways how to avoid it,” Oracion noted.

He advised panic- buying is not necessary, although admitting that “such mass behavior of chaos is common because of too much uncertainty”.

He also lamented the flooding of too much information on CoViD, especially those that are fake and which do not come from persons of authority.

“Even the assurance from government that the situation is under control does not seem to have calmed down the public.”

He said a good thing that has come out of CoViD is that people now are more conscious and deliberate in their behavior. “It has made us disinfect more often, distance ourselves from public occasions, defer unnecessary travel.”

Angelique Larena-Yoldi, franchisee of Lantaw Restaurant, Café Racer, and Moon Cafe which are often frequented by tourists, has noted a drastic decrease in their customers. “I’m sure this is happening all around the country and elsewhere.”

To help protect her close to 200 staff, she had their company doctor give them a refresher course on hygiene and sanitation, and especially on how to deal with tourists.

“Every night, we now thoroughly disinfect the dining areas, not only the kitchens. We also turn on the air purifiers until the next day,” she said.

Meanwhile, work for other causes continues. According to Dr. Ben S. Malayang, head of the USAID project called Fish Right, “We now observe ‘social distancing’ protocols, and use cyber options for doing group work.”

He said they have discussed using large open spaces as venues for small group assemblies, where each person would have at least a one-meter distance from each other on all sides. He said venues and facilities, including toilets and table tops, are also disinfected with bleach and other biodegradable solutions.

“We just need to be sensitive to others and their welfare, and to extend to them care and respect.”

Even the Catholic church has altered a few traditions since the onset of CoViD-19.

According to Rev. Msgr. Julius Heruela, parish priest of San Augustine of Hippo Parish in Bacong, Negros Oriental, they are implementing some changes in the way things are done based on instructions from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines issued March 10 by Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, CBCP president.

Monsignor Heruela said the changes include: “attending” mass on TV or social media is now allowed for those not feeling well; communion is received by the hand; holy water fonts at the doors (where people dip their fingers to do the sign of the cross) should be emptied; protective cloth is installed (between the penitent and the confessor) in the confessional boxes; and no more kissing nor touching of the sacred images and statues.

Meanwhile in a statement, St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral Parish Priest Rev. Msgr. Marino Ybo announced the cancellation of masses beginning March 15 based on a circular issued by the CBCP on March 13, following DOH recommendations.

Monsignor Ybo said in the statement they will continue celebrating mass via social media and the broadcast media.

In Dumaguete, the mass will be heard over Cosmo Radio FM 104.500 on the dial.

In a letter circular, the Most Rev. Julito Cortez, Bishop of Dumaguete, has announced the cancellation of all scheduled Holy Masses starting Sunday until further notice.

An announcement from the Diocese cancelling the scheduled masses was announced over social media, saying that the move was done in response to the circular letter No. 20 24 issued on March 13 by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to follow a recommendation of the Department of Health.

The announcement bore the word LOCKDOWN in bold red letters, which caused a stir among netizens, who said the use of such word was scaring the people.

The announcement was made as the Province of Negros Oriental registered one positive COVID 19 case, while 14 have been placed under investigation, and another 24 under monitoring.

The Diocese said the faithful may follow the Holy Masses broadcast on the internet and over the radio. (Irma Faith Pal)

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