Reopening to the old normal

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

Conversing with my 85-year old mom gave me a picture of what life was after the Second World War and many years later. According to her, one could barely meet another soul on the street as people were busy repairing their war-torn houses. In the provinces, farmers were tilling the fields.

            While there was no pandemic to be afraid of, physical distancing was not a problem but going through one’s daily activities many meters away from another person was a normal thing in the past.

            Mom said, riding on small public buses commonly known then as “PU” from the Baguio market to Trinidad were joyrides because there were not so many passengers. In most cases, the driver gets bored in waiting for more than an hour just to load so that he has to go even when the bus is not full.

             Even schools like the old Mountain Province High School at the Teachers Camp along Leonard Wood Road (became Baguio City High School when it transferred to Gov. Pack Road) had only 15 to a little more than 20 students per classroom, one can occupy as much space as he wants.

Since there were only few motor vehicles running, the air was clean and environment quiet, one can hear the singing of the Philippine National Anthem a kilometer away.

The Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) is set to convert the present enhance community quarantine (ECQ) due to the COVID-19 pandemic into a general community quarantine or GCQ after May 15, 2020.

This will be implemented under what the IATF and the other countries call a “new normal”. I simply understand this as unusual actions that will have to be maintained in order not to go back to an undesirable situation.

Although, economists worldwide call it “new normal”, those who survived the Second World War know it as something old and not unusual as these were things already experienced by them in the past.

The main reason for loosening the present Luzon-wide lockdown into a GCQ is to put back the country’s economy back on track and regain the money it lost during the ECQ because it cannot sustain dole-outs and continue feeding a hungry and angry population. Government has to do a restructuring of its economic order but while doing so, we all have to be very health conscious that we do not get back the infections.

While it would soon unlock some restrictions, it is asking the public to maintain social distancing, wearing of face masks, keeping oneself clean and to avoid unnecessary travel as much as possible. Another restriction is a possible suspension of classes and other school activities.

The GCQ also requires that the number of employees allowed to work inside offices, malls and other commercial establishments will be limited. If so, it will mean lessening the number of people inside restaurants that will only be opened for take-outs unless the owners come up with solutions.  

The world will be a quiet one as the “new normal” signals the end of hugs, handshakes, buffet restaurants and salad bars, parties and celebrations in parks and public places, and certain sports activities.

If these cannot be avoided, then reduce the size of gatherings by maintaining physical distancing with a minimum distance of at least one meter or more especially between you and other people that are not from your household. Although, I am certain that “spiritual” sessions with pinikpikan will continue indoors.

In short, the IATF is telling the public to avoid activities that gather crowds as doing so might trigger a repetition of a spike of COVID-19 infections since no one knows where the coronavirus is.

Since the pandemic is a coronavirus that could pop out anywhere and could trigger a second wave, it is mandatory for LGUs to continue with operational responsibilities laid down by the IATF, considering that they know their constituents.

Nobody really knows when a possibility of a second or third wave will come unless a vaccine is discovered and developed for general use at the shortest possible time.

In two weeks, Baguio and Benguet with the rest will be categorized under GCQ, but while some restrictions will be lifted, bear in mind that there will still be COVID-19 infections even under a “new normal”. Be prepared always.