“COVID-19 in the year 2020”

2020 is a year to start a new life and to face new challenges in our life. Early this
year, the world faced so many problems and dilemmas that made people conclude that
2020 is off to a bad start.
January this year, News about a contagious disease that killed a lot of people in
China was heard around the world. Some country thought that it is just a simple flu
and people must not panic and think about it. But as time and months passed by, the
World Health Organization started to call the attention of every individual to take
preventive measures to prevent the occurrence and spread of this disease to their
respective places. The DOH announced to the public to take preventive measures and
started monitoring the said disease. February of this year , the issue of COVID-19 in
the our country was stable. Stable in the way that no new cases were added to the list
of the DOH compared to other countries like Italy, Germany, and other European
countries. Unfortunately, this deadly disease is becoming unstoppable and has already
reached the criteria for it to be declared pandemic. The world and a lot of people
started panicking. Our data of COVID-19 cases started to rise and deaths are also
reported. The government went to a conclusion and decided to announce to the public
that Metro Manila,which is a place where a lot of cases was been recorded will be on
community quarantine. But because of the increasing number of cases per day,the
government starts to do the enhanced community quarantine not only for Metro
Manila but for the entire Luzon. Other regions in Vizayas and Mindanao followed the
said quarantine as they observed that this said disease can really transfer and spread to
a lot of people if they will not make a move to halt it.At first it is very hard for
Filipinos to stay at home not because they do not want it but because some of them
are working and need to go to work for them to buy and sustain their daily needs in
life.Furthermore,Military personnel were all over the roads to do strict checkpoints,
all public transportation were suspended, hoarding of things specially like alcohols
and masks are seen in all region. Panic buying for people who are scared to go out
everyday to buy something and scared to die not of COVID-19 but because of hunger.
A tragedy to some of us or maybe a nightmare to everybody.I've been watching news
and reading articles about the consequences of this disease and sadly I must admit and
say I am scared because I did not expect that this will happen.The scenarios were the
same to some scenes I've been watching in movies and series of novels I am reading .
Just what I wrote earlier I think it is like a nightmare to everybody. But this time of
crisis, I realized a lot of things in life. I observed and saw a lot of good things
happening. I saw the genuine heart of Filipinos especially on how they help front
liners and health care providers in terms of giving them free food, free rides, free
masks and shields.
I must say Filipinos are brave and strong human beings. They will do everything
and anything for us to surpass this trial we have this moment.Well, I am proud to be a
Filipino. A Filipino will never ever give up and lose this battle. I also salute, our
government officials for taking steps to solve the problem. They tend to teach the
public different preventive measures to stop the said disease. Washing your hands
every now and then, using masks and different protective measures when going
outsides and most importantly making our immune system healthy.These are also
some of the things they teach the public for prevention purposes. But the most
important lesson and realization I have at the moment is that COVID-19 is giving you
a gift. A gift of time.Because for a long time, you've been saying "I have no time"
Now it is your time to reflect and think about your life, your dreams and your passion.
A time to reset and to realize what really matters most..You have now time to read
books. A time for your family, a time to play with your kids, a time to bond with your
aging parents and to spent time to talk with them. And most especially a time to build
a relationship with God. This time, this disease is challenging our faith, our faith to
our Almighty God. This time of crisis. Let us pray together and ask for his help.
Always remember our faith to him will be the solution for us to be spare and to be
save. And lastly, always remember the Quote "When you face difficult times, know
that challenges are not send to destroy you. They are sent to promote,increase and
strengthen you.Let us keep our faith and believe in him.

References:
https://www.who.int/philippines/emergencies/covid-19-in-the-
philippines
https://www.devex.com/news/to-contain-the-spread-of-coronavirus-
manila-grapples-with-lockdown-96823
http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article52772