By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
Thank you, Mayor Magalong and the rest of the Baguio City IATF, for slowly opening our beloved Baguio City to its residents and now, to limited tourists. First, it was only the working people who could go out of their homes. Seniors were allowed Sundays as their day out, but then all others were to stay home. Market days (whether wet market or supermarket) were limited to 2-3 times a week per designated area. These were all to minimize social contact. Only essential services were allowed to open – food, financial, and medical. Later, other services, like church masses, were open. Burnham Park, the only wide public park in Baguio City, was also opened. If I were the IATF, though, church services and exercise are considered essential. And the earlier and the more we should have been encouraged to go the mass and pray, meditate and fast – this means minimal talking. The more we should have been encouraged to go out and walk and not chika chika while walking. Well, I guess, that would have been difficult to manage because there are people who don’t seem to understand instructions. Well, anyway, I was so happy when finally, government allowed church masses to resume and allowed wellness activities in Burnham Park. I have been to this park when it opened and how happy the people there were – parents, young children, seniors- all walks of like. It’s literally a breath of fresh air and a good dose of sunshine.
Yes, for everyone’s sanity and wellbeing, we can cannot be home-bound for long. Good in the rural areas, like our villages in the Cordillera, where there is natural social distancing and which doesn’t have bars or night clubs or theaters or gyms where many people gather face to face and linger. People in the rural areas just go to farm the whole day and it’s only Sunday that they gather in church, for those who are churchgoers. And even then, our mainstream churches usually have a solemn service with people facing the altar, not each other. So congratulations to officials of rural areas who let famers go about their daily lives, regardless of their age. Aside from the fact that they supported their health, they also prevented anxiety and future hunger. Imagine what people will eat now and in the future if the farmers locked themselves up since last March.
People are, by nature, physically active precisely because we are designed to be so. Yes, think about your joints, bones and muscles. Why are these parts of our bodies if we don’t have any use for them? Do you think that the Creator gave us feet if we were created to sit down and sleep all our life? Yes, we need to walk.
We also need to talk. People are social creatures. No one is an island. Perhaps for a few select individuals who can handle their aloneness, the majority of people need other people- meaning people need to relate to other people. So if I was asked if I was in a relationship, I would answer a big “YES”- because I am in a relationship with my family, neighbors, friends and relatives. And I am in a relationship with God. Relationship, I would say is symbiotic. You support, challenge and heal each other. Relationship means communication and the one kind of communication we like most is talking. So when lockdown suddenly shut us off with the rest of the world, I could imagine the anxiety and depression that people who were alone in their homes felt, especially in the cities and in areas which imposed strict stay-home policies. Buti na lang may cellphone, internet and TV. I know many people worldwide (including me) kept sane and cheerful watching Korean telenovela- laughing, crying, falling in love, getting worried, being afraid and all those emotions we needed to express were expressed as we identified with the actors. But no matter how I love K dramsa, I cannot just go my life just seated in front of a computer. It’s definitely unhealthy. How many of us gained weight for the past 6 months?
Yes, cities and town centers cannot forever be isolated from the rest of the world. Unless government will feed the people, which it cannot. So leaders have to strike a good balance between all sectors in society to attain long-term health and sustainable economy. Meaning we need to co-exist with covid, just as we have been co-existing with all the other viruses and bacteria in the past. For this, there is already worldwide knowledge of how society has been dealing with challenges. It is not the first time that an epidemic or pandemic occurred. And it is not the first time that there is a viral infection. So far, studies are consistent that an infection from a certain virus strain generally confers lifetime immunity to that strain. We say “generally” because in this world, “never say never”. Meaning nothing is absolute. So far, people who got well with covid didn’t get sick again. Although, of couse, we read news that say otherwise. Well, our local experience so far does not show re-infection. And studies an experience also show that immunity to a certain virus necessitates exposure. Meaning, if we want to be immune, we have to come into contact with the virus. Whoa??? This is the good news- getting infected does not automatically mean that you will get sick. Your staying healthy is dependent generally on three factors:
1) How strong is your immune system?
2) Is your blood fertile ground for the virus to grow and multiply?
3) Virus load – How much virus did you inhale?
For #1, we have discussed the immune system in detail in past issues. In summary, to keep your immune system strong, you need to eat according to the natural design of the universe and be joyful and grateful. For #2 factor, please take not that viruses and other germs like sugar and all sweets so please minimize these, especially be wary of hidden sugars. #1 and #2 are closely related because refined sugar and all highly-processed sugars actually are not natural. For #3, how do we minimize virus load. As I stated earlier, we need to be exposed to covid to get immune and they good news is that even a small amount of virus is enough to ignite our immune system to produce antibodies. So this is where social distancing and use of masks enters into play. For me, fresh air is one basic need for survival and health so the best natural recourse to minimize virus load is social distancing. Covid does not have wings so it can only be projected by a cough or sneeze within 3 feet. It will fall to the ground in that distance. But what if you are in the city or in public transportation and you are within 3 feet from another person? This is where the mask and face shield comes useful- with a mask or face shield, whether worn by you or the other person, the spray of droplets will be caught by the mask or face shield. Gets? So if you are in Baguio, don’t be afraid to do what is necessary for your wellness and sanity, just have your face mask and/or face shield and be sure you are eating right. However, when you are alone in your farm or the next one to your is more than 3 feet away, you don’t need to. Besides, you need all that fresh air.***
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“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
