Lockdown Fatique

After several weeks of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) or what others called “lockdown,” I think people have “ECQ-fatigue” or “lockdown” fatigue, which can explain why people are too eager to go out of their houses.

The street in front of the chapel is empty during the early days of the ECQ, although there are occasional streams of people who were getting their food packs from some organizations giving it out. But by the end of April, there are already a lot of youngsters and even senior citizens on the streets. Cars, which I have not seen during the start of the ECQ, are now plying the streets.

I speculated that the novelty of being “locked down” has worn off. People are no longer amused by spending the whole day in front of their gadgets. FB feeds have stopped providing the needed diversions and movie marathons have become a routine instead of entertainment.

I confined myself within the premises of the Chaplaincy because I have the co-morbidities of asthma and hypertension, which is high-risk for COVID-19. I celebrate the Eucharist in private following the diocesan liturgical guidelines. The Holy Week celebrations were particularly unique because of the absence of people who came in droves during this time of the year to cleanse themselves of their sins, as the often-repeated cliché goes.

At the same time, I tried to coordinate the Chaplaincy’s relief program by setting in place some strategic process that minimizes physical contact and possible exposure to the dreaded SARS- COV 2 virus, which causes the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19). Technically, the virus is named as SARS-COV 2 virus, while COVID-19 is the disease caused by the virus. Again for simplicity, we are just accustomed to call the virus as COVID-19 virus.

Admittedly, my response to this pandemic is not as “heroic” as that of my brethren who went around their territories carrying the Blessed Sacrament and the Cross. I have assured my parishioners that I am praying for them in front of the Blessed Sacrament, while at the same time hoping that whatever I lacked in heroism that the Good Lord will supply. With Peter, all I can say is “increase my faith, Lord!”

As of the time writing this essay, many parts of the country are now in the General Community Quarantine (GQC) phase, which some are also calling as the “New Normal” phase while some pundits are looking forward to yet another phase to call as such. I am not sure when the “New Normal” will start, or maybe we are already in that phase. Is there someone who will proclaim the start of the New Normal? I do not know the answer, but the only thing I am sure of is that the way we interact with others and the way we live is not going to be the same as before, which is what the New Normal is all about.

The problem, I would speculate, based on what I can see in social media is that there are perceptions of the quarantine protocols as equal to the COVID-19. Thus, people are posting that they are going to do these or that after the lockdown. They have forgotten that the problem is not the lockdown but the virus. Unfortunately, the SARS-COV 2 virus is still present and would not just miraculously disappear when the lockdown is lifted.

This is the reason why some pundits are warning us that we should not throw caution into the air after the ECQ because we might have a false sense of confidence that the COVID-19 pandemic is over when it is not. In other words, we still need to be careful when we go out because the virus is still out there.

We can only become confident when there is already a vaccine against the SARS-COV 2 virus, a treatment for the COVID-19, and that we have acquired “herd immunity.”

This is the reason why the New Normal of social/physical distancing is the only safeguards we have while the vaccine and treatment are still in the works. Waiting for “herd immunity” is an evolutionary process, which is time-consuming and at a high cost since Mother Nature favors the strong while eliminating the weak. We cannot rely on this “herd immunity” option.

TO BE CONTINUED

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