IT’S MIDWEEK and here are some stray involuntary semantic memories – or random thoughts, if you may. As always they are not meant to convince, rather to make you think.
If you feel it’s just another clever way to condescend, yes you are right. So without further ado, here they are:
With the South China Sea still the flashpoint and every other triggered fool want to go to war with China, I’ll park these words from Austin Ong, consultant, PH-CH-ASEAN which I very much agree with:
“We must not be dragged into a conflict by USA who profits from conflict in Asia because they want to militarize the region to sell more arms, while China is focused on trade and economic development which benefits all…”
It’s really ironic, pathetic in fact, that those who look like the perfect subject for Asian hate and attack if they stroll down the streets of New York and California are also the most rabid Sinophobe. Perhaps they believe they’re “little brown Americans” or holders of the much coveted “green card”.
Moving on, there seems to be no let up in “Metro Manila Plus” on COVID-19 positive cases and, as expected, the usual suspects are having a field day complaining on just about anything, blaming the government for the continuing rise of positive cases. Of course, the politicians are riding on the crisis just to be relevant.
Here’s a thought for Sen. Dick Gordon. Instead of latching on to the much abused “Dolomite watch”, here’s one much closer to your heart and certainly you are a part of – the construction of the P8.9-billion new Senate building should be stopped and the money be used to buy COVID-19 vaccines and the de rigueur rice to feed the pathetic poor. Try that, Senator Gordon, and you’ll be much more relevant.
Meanwhile, I have this nagging suspicion that the powers-that-be in the US that want to bring Duterte down have been preventing the sale/shipment of COVID-19 vaccines to the Philippines. Take note that the delay seems to coincide with the usual suspects’ call for Duterte’s resignation.
The community pantries is an act of kindness, a basic human trait. It is not political and those who use it to advocate their political agendas just show how evil they are and are completely devoid of any creativity. Just your usual opportunists.
And we segue to some useful tips on how to survive the pandemic:
Excerpts from an April 7, 2021 article by Dr. Leo Nissola, MD, on www.eatthis.com/news-coronavirus-tips-doctor:
Year two of the pandemic, you’d assume that most of us would be pretty educated about COVID-19 by now. But our knowledge and understanding of SARS-CoV-2 have grown, and so has misinformation. As a doctor and immunotherapy scientist, I’ve put together this essential list of the top 5 scientifically proven ways COVID really spreads.
COVID is in the Air
COVID-19 spreads from person to person, most commonly by respiratory “droplets”, large clumps of virus formed when someone coughs, sneezes, speaks, yells, cries, eats or blows their nose. The tiniest droplets, known as “aerosols”, can stay in the air for hours after they’ve been projected from a person’s nose and mouth. The virus can linger in the air waiting for the next person to breathe them in and become contaminated with SARS-Cov-2.
Time of Exposure Matters
There is a point at which the “dose” of the virus you inhale allows you to become infected. As a result, the amount of time you spent at an indoor venue and the time you were exposed to someone potentially sick matters. The general rule is that the more you are exposed to something, the more likely you are to become infected.
Ventilation is Crucial
Don’t share your air. Don’t breathe someone’s air. Opening windows while spending time indoors helps remove COVID aerosols. Windows greatly facilitate this air exchange, eliminating old air and letting in new, clean air. Good ventilation is critical to prevent new cases.
Masks are not political. They can save your life — and the lives of others
Our personal actions protect us from getting sick. From wearing high-quality masks, which restrict aerosol, to social distancing, which decreases the number of people in the range of any manufactured aerosols, these easy and cheap measures literally save lives.
Clean Hands Means No Handshakes
At the beginning of the pandemic, we thought dirty or contaminated surfaces could amplify COVID’s spread. This appears to be less likely than previously thought. But washing your hands with alcohol gel or soap effectively destroys the virus and will prevent you from spreading it to others by touching them. To keep your hands clean, remember not to go out touching other people’s hands, especially if you don’t know what they were touching.
It is basically human behavior that is a big factor in the spread of the virus, especially in a densely populated place like “Metro Manila Plus” as evident by the continuing rise of positive case; it would not hurt them but save their lives if they follow the protocols.
Wear a facemask (properly), social distancing and wash their hands. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com)/PN
