by Sylvia C. Cadalig
My niece and her fiancé decided to tie the knot on the last week of December 2020. They and their families wished to celebrate it big as Igorots traditionally do; inviting their relatives, friends, co-workers, acquaintances and most of their kailians to celebrate with them but the pandemic did not permit. So they both agreed to hold it in a hotel in Baguio City with limited guests. We, being close relatives, were invited though we were in IlocosSur. We were hesitant at first, considering the substantial documents to process and the quarantine time after. But, because of love for family, we decided to attend. It was a timely blessing that the province declared a moratorium on quarantine requirements from December 8 to January 10 2021, where home quarantine was allowed but there was a need to undergo 3 antigen testing during the period of quarantine (on the 4th day, 8th and 12th day all given for free). But if the whole household is in quarantine they will only be tested once, on the 8th day.
So that was it, we travelled to Baguio on December 27, attended the wedding on the 30th then went home on the 1st day of January 2012 with complete travel documents to enter the border. We knew the protocol of having to be quarantined, but the feeling when in the actual situation was very different. Nobody was allowed to visit us, when our auntie came to share patupat (suman) which they cooked on New Year’s eve, she was scolded by the community, though we followed a yard-wide distance. Worst, I and my youngest had colds, which I believe was caused by the abrupt change from cold Baguio to hot Ilocos. We did steam inhalation twice daily but still, phlegm was being produced. Our barangay midwife came to monitor us and immediately noticed our colds and showed some fear and she was worried. Then my first child developed boils. All these made us anxious and alarmed, that made us afraid we might be tested positive on the 8th day. So while waiting for the 8th day, we did home remedies, drink plenty of warm water & lemonade, took vitamin C, did steam inhalation, hot foot bath, and strengthened our nightly devotion. Pleading to the Almighty that what we were doing, will lead to negative results.
Then the 8th day came, the head of our family was tested first then we all followed. It was the greatest relief when we learned that all of our results were negative.
The lessons I learned from this quarantine period were: boosting immune system is essential, do home remedies, following protocols always, and attachment to the Supreme Being. And my plea to the people around those in quarantine was that instead of being judgmental they should be supportive and relate with conscientiousness because just like them, we were also nervous and afraid.**
