Week 21, 2020: Life In The New Normal

Yesterday marked the first post-quarantine Monday for most of the country. For a lot of the country’s cities, where COVID-19 transmissions remain low, “freedom is at hand.” Whereas, for the country’s COVID-19 hotspots, NCR, Cebu, and even Davao, the state of the lockdown is uncertain.

And yet, life in the new normal goes on. As malls have reopened, and citizens are getting used to the new way of shopping—1 meter apart—doctors are alsoreopening clinics.

Non-COVID healthcare also ground to a halt when the lockdowns happened—patients needing outpatient care such as routine checkups, specialist care, psychiatric care, and the like, had to set aside their healthcare needs in order to give way to the priority du jour: COVID-19 patients.

Technology, however, has paved the way for innovative uses. Psychiatric care can actually be easily and effectively done online, and there have been doctors who have seen their patients via video call, all during the height of the lockdown. With NCR, its surrounding areas, and some other cities in the VisMin area, there is definitely a need for options such as these.

Specialist care has also been done online. An Ilonggo EENT and OB-Gyne have both given online patient care and prescriptions, and such life-supporting use of technology are testimonies of what it can do, when used right.

We have seen “Bayanihan” at its best during the height of the Quarantine. We’ve seen people rise up to equip our healthcare workers and give them their much-needed support. Let’s continue doing what we’re supposed to do: Staying at home for the healthcare workers, because they stayed at work for us.

 

Dr. Kharlle Joehn Hautea, Surgeon, Iloilo Missions Hospital (Source)

As the new week starts and we’re in for another round of Netflix, work from home, and Zoom classes in the new normal, let us remember this:

“A person’s true character is often revealed in time of crisis or temptation. Make sure that you have what it takes to be your best in such times.” –Dr Paul T.P. Wong, Ph.D. (Canadian Clinical Psychologist)

The Latest COVID-19 Stats for Healthcare Workers; Numbers Indicate the Infected:

Doctors:	671
Nurses:	841
Medical Technologists:	84
Radiologists:	42
Nursing Assistants:	144
Others (admin, barangay health workers):	284
Actively Infected:	1,341
Recovered:	938
Casualties:	35
Total Infected As Of 5/17/2020:	2,314

Download the latest COVID-19 Situationer from the DOH HERE.