Given the choice, any reasonable Filipino would want to be tested for COVID-19, especially if he or she is experiencing symptoms of the disease.
Knowing whether one has the coronavirus or whether the symptoms are caused by other illnesses is key to making choices on what to do next.
For example, would resting at home be enough, or does the need to physically see a medical professional outweigh the risk of going to the hospital and potentially getting exposed to the virus?
Should the patient recall everybody he or she has been with and warn them that they could possibly be infected, as well?
Certainty about one’s condition does away with searching the internet and reading all sorts of articles that may simply increase one’s stress levels.
It also removes the anxiety that one may have passed on the disease to friends, colleagues and loved ones.
However, despite the increased capacity for COVID-19 testing, many are still at a loss on where they could get themselves tested, how, and how much they have to shell out for their peace of mind.
Barangay leaders may be able to provide some guidance, but the test remains costly for the average Filipino, and often there is confusion as to the process between suspecting you may have the virus and actually getting tested for it. The agonizing wait for the results is another story.
Because of this, local governments who offer free testing for their constituents must be lauded.
Employers who provide free testing must also be acknowledged—this is the least they can do to help their people navigate these trying times. People are worried that they might lose their jobs, or that they may contract the disease, likely both. They should at least be free from the burden of paying for the knowledge.
We have neither flattened nor bent the curve, and the virus will not go away however we try to dismiss it or pretend that the threat is not there. The numbers continue to soar every day.
This is a fight that is far from over. The people need to know that they are not left to their own devices during these perilous days.