Swab Test

So I had to take a swab test for the Wuhan flu. We were made to by the office because some genius cop decided to make his way into the building while he was still waiting for his own test results. He turned out to be positive for the virus. Just to be safe, we were all told to get tested.

I wasn't looking forward to the swab test to say the least. I don't know if you've seen the pictures but it's all nurses in spacesuits sticking long chopsticks in your nose until they hit something. I exaggerate but I was assured that the newer tests used shorter, less intrusive swabs. So I scheduled the only event I would ever schedule in 2020 -  a damn swab test in some hospital parking lot.

This is how it went. You fill out the forms, etc. of course. It was advertised as a "drive-thru" service, as if to bring to mind happier times when people could eat out. What it really meant was that I didn't need to step out of the car. So the nurse comes along and she takes out this really long cotton swab and I felt cheated. But as it turns out, this swab was for the throat. I felt relieved and distressed at the same time. I was relieved that this pencil wasn't going up my nose but I was distressed that it was for my throat. I hadn't anticipated the throat part.

Here's the problem: I have an extremely sensitive gag reflex. It doesn't take much for me to start choking and gasping for air. I'm also a picky eater. I'm sure it's a problem relating to the oral phase of psycho-sexual development as that fraud Freud would put it. I think I read that in a book or a place-mat at Shakey's. Anyway, all the nurse had to do was lean in and I was already like a cat hacking up a hairball. But it had to be done. The nurse told me she'd do it as quickly as possible. So I took a deep breath and to her credit, she managed to take the sample before I made like a dying animal again.

After that difficult experience, the nose swab seemed like an afterthought. It's true that the new tests aren't as intrusive as the old one. She inserted a mercifully shorter, thinner swab in each nostril. It took only like one to two seconds. It wasn't painful at all but it was just very uncomfortable. You can't help but tear up and start sniffling. 

I got my results back in a day and it was nothing to worry about. If you have to get tested, it's not so bad after all.

 Hopefully I won't have to do this again.

Lockdown

Starting 10 PM today, quarantine passes issued by the Cebu City government will no longer be effective. The government was kind enough to warn the citizenry about this at 9 PM. Hope you weren't sleeping.

So what is this? Lockdown? ECQ? EECQ? What cockamamie thing are we going to call this?

What this means is that people can only travel within their barangays? Maybe. Who knows? Vagueness seems to be the defining quality of this government. It's annoying, honestly, that the government leaves the citizens to "fill in the gaps" for themselves, so to speak, and then blame the citizens when they end up doing things not to its liking. Now there's tell that the army is patrolling the streets shooing people away. Maybe they'll lock us in our homes and weld the doors shut like El Jefe's Chinese buddy did in Wuhan. 

These are very bad times for Cebu but instead of support, all we Cebuanos seem to be receiving lately is scorn. This is all on us apparently, since we're all so hardheaded. If I didn't know better, I think the government is scapegoating us. Nevertheless, I don't feel insulted. It's only natural for people to look for things to blame during crisis. The stubbornness of the Filipino is a believable excuse and the government would naturally prefer that explanation than admit any lapses or incompetence.

At this point, I'm wondering if I should just get the virus to get this damn thing over with. I'm kidding, I think. This is all getting so tiresome and to be frank, I'm starting to feel anxious. I can imagine other people reacting poorly to the latest news. But we must not lose our heads as difficult as that is.

Deep breaths, eh?

Extreme Rules Deluxe Community Quarantine-pounder with Cheese

Last Tuesday, Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) standards were reinstated in Cebu City given the non-stop increase of Wuhan virus cases. The government was nice enough to announce this during midnight just on the day it was to take effect for maximum disruption. Sometimes it seems the government is having way too much fun with the extraordinary powers it now has over our lives.

Non-Filipino readers may wonder what "ECQ" is. During the outbreak of the virus, the government came up with several grades of quarantine standards. The strictest is Extensive/Extreme Community Quarantine or EECQ. ECQ is a step below that but don't confuse it with Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), which is not as strict as ECQ but is still stricter than Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ). General Community Quarantine (GCQ) is considered the least strict of all. Of course, this all shouldn't be confused with a "lockdown" which is a different thing altogether. You got all that?

What's the real difference between all these forms of quarantine? Hell if I know the specifics. Go look up an infographic on google or something. Best start learning how to use the internet. All these different quarantines makes Bush-era America's color coded "terror level" look genius. Why couldn't we have added some colors to the mix? That would have been nice.

Why is the outbreak so bad here? Everyone has their own theory - people being "stubborn" is the favorite. It's only human to play the blame game. But I do wonder why Cebu is getting the harsh treatment while Manila, a city much more dense in population, gets bumped down to GCQ. 

Whatever the reason, it's just more shit to deal with.

Esprit de Coop

No matter how much of a shut-in a person is, he will eventually get sick of confinement. However, this lock-down from the Wuhan virus shows no sign of ending. 

The situation is untenable, let's be honest. People can't stay cooped up in their homes indefinitely. People have their livelihoods to worry about. The government doesn't have infinite resources despite what too many people believe. 

Naturally, upset people will want the lock-down restrictions eased. Despite this understandable sentiment, it is remarkable to me that such talk is met with derision by the public and the many scolds of the internet. Of course, the quarantine cannot be lifted completely. No sane person would take such an extreme position. But it seems wanting things to go back to normal, even gradually, has become taboo, a sign of selfishness and a desire to see dead people litter the streets. 

Whether or not it's "right" to ease restrictions is of no importance to me. This situation cannot last forever and will end eventually. What matters to me is effect all of this has on people's morale and mindsets. In times of disaster, morale is something that should never be ignored. It is very important that we remain calm and don't lost our heads. Panic won't help anyone. 

The way I see it, the problem is a lack of inspiring leadership, which allows uncertainty and hence, fear to spread. So far, all we've had is negative talk. Think of it as being an employee in a failing company. Fist you hear disturbing rumors that the company isn't doing so well. Then you hear rumors of layoffs. Then people are getting shuffled around, etc. You'd see the writing on the wall start thinking about jumping ship. Savvy people would.

In the case of the quarantine, however, there is no jumping ship. Everyday is an endless barrage of bad news. Every time you turn on the TV or radio, there's a new plan to impose even more restrictions on the populace. There's more scolding from the vinegar drinkers about how the people are so stupid and stubborn. Worse, you get reckless talk about having the police arrest people on the spot or how we need "martial law" like conditions. It's demoralizing. What are we supposed to think?

I think there's too much eagerness to throw bile at those who dare to be optimistic. People are afraid, that's all. They want to hear that there's an actual plan to bring things back to normal. So far, all we're getting from the powers that be are blame and threats. For all his inexplicable appeal to the masses, Duterte's overbearing style is not doing him any favors this time.

As an opposite example, over in America, Trump is criticized for wanting to reopen the states and lift their quarantines. I don't care if people hate Trump but they ought to have caught on to his style by now. The point isn't that he's going to do it. The point is to put the issue on the table. It's a negotiator's trick: stake out the most extreme position with the mind to gradually pull to a more moderate one when the other party complains. His opponents would be foolish to let him monopolize positivity.

Over here, it seems like a never-ending downward spiral.