Only four days to go before the country’s nationwide vaccination program is supposed to start. What a relief such news must be giving our people who have been living in constant apprehension over the possibility of infection, not knowing, or seeing any signs to warn them about victims they could get in touch with. However, another constant dread is the threat of another variant coming up, that cannot be controlled by existing vaccines or medications. But let us not despair, science and medicine workers continue to search for something that could put away this virus and all its potential variants at rest.
***
Let’s just think positive. Remember when tuberculosis was an incurable, lingering sickness that wore away one’s body to skin and bones, until streptomycin came along? And when anybody hit by pneumonia coughed and gasped and wore himself or herself to a bedridden existence, with family members staying away because of warnings against contamination? Then antibiotics came into the picture and pneumonia sufferers need not even be hospitalized. I can attest to that because I went through it two years ago, and I was told I had strong resistance because I took Vitamin C regularly!
***
But a most depressing news, especially for sportsmen and sports aficionados was the revelation in yesterday’s reports that the death of the sports icon of the United States, Kobe Bryant, who died last year in a helicopter crash, was no accident but was caused by pilot error! And his young daughter died with him, too. Kobe was internationally admired for his skill in the game but also for his humility and friendliness as well. Well, the pilot also died in that crash, and that was lucky for him, as he could have been lynched by Kobe fans.
***
From the latest reports on the COVID pandemic, the United States is one country that seems to have lessened the number of infections and fatalities lately. That could probably be due to their intensive administration of vaccinations, although another report said only about 10 percent of the total population had been vaccinated. I wonder how many in our country have undergone vaccination, and if we have enough of the vaccine stuff to include everyone. And I hope people in the rural areas will be included in the campaign for it – if one does take place.
***
I also wonder if other people who read or listen to the news notice that for announcements regarding developments in the health area, it is always the Undersecretary Dr. Rosario Vergeire who reports through media outlets, especially TV. The secretary himself, Dr. Francisco Duque, is seldom seen or heard. Is he publicity-shy, or does he have what as students we called “stage fright”? Oh, Dr. Vergeire is articulate and very composed and easily understood, and I am not complaining. Just asking.
***
Somebody told me that some men are complaining about the prohibition of the drinking of alcohol liquor in public. Yes, it is well known that a lot of men are into the habit of getting together in some resto or bar for their nightly entertainment. But the restriction seems reasonable, because they can do it within a limited time, and can also do it in their own homes. Maybe what the restriction intends to control is some of them getting a little too much of the strong stuff, so that they can do it within a limited time, and can also do it in their own homes. Maybe what the restrictions also intends to control is some of them getting a little too much of the strong stuff so that they abandon restrictions intended to protect them and others. Be reasonable, guys!
***
I can’t recall if I have mentioned before, but since it seems like an important detail for public consumption, an item came out recently informing people that those who have gone through COVID should not to be careless, because they can be infected again. So it is not like other ailments that immunizes the patient after recovery. Also good news is that hospitals are now less crowded with COVID patients than they had been weeks before. This could be confirmation of the reports that the virus is already waning.
***
Oh, and news from China says that the scientists and medical people from the World Health Organization, or W.H.O., who went to Wuhan, the supposed birthplace of COVID, said there is no evidence there that the coronavirus came from a laboratory in Wuhan. Well, it is up to the reader to believe that or not. What keeps me wondering is why we never hear of any report or statistics from China regarding the mischief of the virus that was inflicted on the world.*
