Year-Enders

A schoolmate of mine died because of Covid-19. He was well-off and could have afforded the best possible treatment there is. As far as we know, he is a healthy person.

So it irks me when people, supposedly educated people at that, teachers even, scoff that Covid-19 ain't real. Or that it's just like TB or the flu. Or that Covid-19 should not be blamed, you don't die of Covid-19 but of whatever disease you already have.  Don't these people get it? Those people with co-morbities would still have been alive if it not for Covid-19. Covid-19 basically pushed them off the cliff. 

The thing is, you never know if you will be a mild case or a fatality. And if you don't get a yearly comprehensive physical, it could be too late before you learn that you have an underlying condition.

Being healthy also does not guarantee that you'd be asymptomatic or a mild case.

Taking a swab test alone is not a walk in the park. My brother relates that our frontliner cousin already had a swab test twice. Cousin says one time he has to stop himself sneezing that his face was beet red after the swabbing. 

Already it seems that other people are gonna break protocol and mass gather these holidays. The last few weeks saw a lot of people out shopping, a lot not observing social distancing or correct mask/face shield wearing. Some people in our neighborhood have already been doing rowdy revelries since October, karaoke sessions and liquor-drinking parties. Sometimes disregarding curfew. Obviously, the party-goers are not related by blood. A recent one involved a series of fireworks at midnight which was really, really inconsiderate. There were cheers of happy birthday after. Their voices were that loud that they can be heard several houses away. I have an inkling of who had this party: the same people who had been honking their car's horn in front of other peoples' houses at a time when everyone else is sleeping just so their help would open their gate. Supposedly, one of their own works for an administration senator. 

What curfew?

I've been thinking you know what, let them do what they want. They're the ones who might get and suffer from Covd-19. 

Here's the thing though: at the very least, if the cases go up, stricter restrictions might be put in place. Rule-abiding people are likely going to be the ones affected. Since these people and their ilk are rule-breakers in the first place, they get away with breaking curfew, movement limitations, etc. Who's to say that they'll keep themselves quarantined if they do turn positive? There already was an uproar months ago on an fb group page about several people who had a drinking spree with one who was positive. Some of those in the spree then went to their parents' house in another barangay to escape being home quarantined. 

Worst case scenario would be limited bed capacity with these rule-breakers getting the last bed. 

You know what gift you could give other people for Christmas? Life. Protection. Space. Wear a mask. A face shield (because just the same, it is required by authorities even with no scientific basis.). Properly. Disinfect, don't infect. And maybe that's enough. For me it is.