Finally, things are getting better

By Joshua Corcuera

Based on data made available by the Department of Health, things are getting better in regard with our fight against COVID-19—at least here in Metro Manila. I can attest to this based on my personal observations here in the country’s capital. But there’s also a problem with this good news—people are getting too complacent.

In recent days, the number of reported COVID-19 cases have consistently been below the 3,000-mark per day. Though this may be huge to some, it is comparatively lower compared to the not-so-distant past. One of the factors as to the drop in cases is that COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila have plummeted dramatically. The fact that a huge portion of the population in Metro Manila has been fully vaccinated will best explain this recent turn of events.

More importantly, this would attest to the scientific fact that vaccines work. They work safely and effectively, not only decreasing our chances of being infected by the highly contagious virus, but also protecting society as a whole as more people receive their shot. Despite the highly suspicious claims that vaccines are harmful, we should remember that science and technology has contributed vastly to human progress in the past and will continue to do so in the present and in the years to come.

Finally, things are getting better—somehow. As things get less strict in the capital region, more people go outside with malls being crowded. A friend even told me that there were more people in MOA (SM Mall of Asia) last weekend than there were before the pandemic reached Philippine shores. This is highly alarming. We should not lose our guard and become complacent or overconfident of our hard-fought battles, we must remain vigilant in the dangers lurking somewhere.

Though Metro Manila has been largely inoculated, the same cannot be said outside the capital region. No region, other than NCR, has fully vaccinated the majority of its population as of writing. More than two weeks ago, last October 21, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was worried about the country’s vaccination rate which, by that time, was around 25%. Though this translates to about 1 out of 4 Filipinos, many countries around the world—both developed and developing—have fully vaccinated the majority of their populations. Some have even surpassed the herd immunity target of at least 70%. Hopefully, we can do the same in the near future.

In another bright news, recent surveys found that more people are willing to receive their jab against COVID-19—a sign that confidence with vaccines is growing among the populace, a sign that things are indeed getting better. Yet, the need to educate the masses on the benefits of vaccination remain imperative as some remain reluctant to this day.

With these facts in mind, we must observe preventive measures such as wearing face masks and physical distancing at all times—even if we have received our vaccine shots. Overconfidence can cause us to go back to the days where lockdowns were strict, and tens of thousands of people were getting sick daily.