It's the first day of December 2020 and it's 24 days before Christmas now, isn't it? I remembered writing about how COVID-19 may force Filipinos to rethink their Christmas traditions. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be the case and there's that really BAD HABIT of breaking simple guidelines. It's a question worth asking on how can you expect quarantine measures to succeed IF you keep breaking simple guidelines. We can talk about the common, irritating habits prevalent during the Christmas season and how they may help spread COVID-19. These are overspending, asking for pinaskohan out of the blue, having noisy parties, and asking for extreme leniency from authorities just because it's Christmas. Should I also mention the last-minute Christmas shopping which can be connected to overspending? These incidents can certainly spread COVID-19, even more, this Christmas.
I remembered the time I wrote that many Filipinos may have NO ONE but themselves to blame for the increase of COVID-19. One of the leading causes is overspending which may include gambling. Why do you think members of Nadamay Partylist were asking for higher handouts? It's because they always overspend. If you keep spending on unnecessary stuff then can you have money to spend on necessary stuff like facemasks and alcohol? Chances are they would be very slim. What amazes me is that Christmas shopping is still ON even during COVID-19. What would be worse is last-minute Christmas shopping can result in HUGE CROWDS. Yes, huge crowds who didn't budget for Christmas may end up making LONG LINES. Long lines would really be hard to enforce social distancing, which in turn, will eventually cause anybody who's asymptomatic to pass the disease. It would even be difficult to enforce the temperature check guideline when you've got a whole line of last-minute Christmas shoppers.
Giving pinaskohans this year would not be easy so why even ask out of the blue? Pinaskohans this year would need to be disinfected considering the still ongoing epidemic. Having people distribute their pinaskohans at the last minute would mean disinfection may not be done properly. If you start asking for pinaskohan out of the blue then consider you're an agent of helping in the LONG LINE of shoppers. Those asking for pinaskohan just want their pinaskohan. They don't consider the effort needed because the pinaskohan is free, right?
I just thought about the number of times that people got apprehended for having mass gatherings this COVID-19. What's the use of hating Debold Sinas' rather undue promotion when he accepted the evening birthday greeting from fellow police officers when people are DOING IT WORSE? Some people were seen attempting to have feasts during the time of pandemics. It just reminds me of Edgar Allan Poe's short story The Masque of the Red Death. Sinas' offense was limited to HIS HOUSE. However, some people are already doing it by the barangay. Who can't forget the notorious UP-Diliman gathering last June 12, 2020? We can expect the violations to happen this Christmas because of the prevalence of fiesta mentality. They think that General Community Quarantine (GCQ) would permit them to have fiestas when it's NOT. GCQ would mean allowing certain industries to operate but at a curfew. It doesn't mean that people are already allowed to have mass gatherings. Yet, you can expect the prohibition of mass gatherings to be violated this COVID-19. They would probably defy all odds and have a Christmas fiesta.
Want extreme leniency from authorities just because it's Christmas? I guess they would want it when they're caught violating guidelines meant to protect them and the community. For example, wearing a facemask and face shield is because COVID-19 is HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS. It's only for one's own good when people are given all the necessary precautions like quarantine passes and temperature checks. Curfews are given because we want to limit the number of people gathering together, which in turn, will slow down infection rates. Yet, these people tend to be like the typical modern American. I really facedesked when I heard of some Americans said wearing a mask was a symbol of repression. Guess what? USA is still TOP ONE WORLDWIDE because of TOO MUCH FREEDOM. They can no longer tell the difference between discipline and dictatorship. That kind of mentality has led the USA to be the top one worldwide and the Philippines to be the top one in ASEAN in terms of COVID-19 infection.
What's really needed right now is not to relax but to be VIGILANT. Yes, COVID-19 is still there. Don't expect Christmas magic to suddenly make it stop for December 25 or even go away just like that. People can do their part by still following reasonable health protocol this Christmas. It would be necessary to keep in mind that COVID-19 is still there. Otherwise, you may consider spending Christmas in the medical centers instead.
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