"The national government should consider these scenarios in crafting policies and programs that will combat the spread of the virus and help revive our economy."
"The national government should consider these scenarios in crafting policies and programs that will combat the spread of the virus and help revive our economy."
As most of the country transitions to a General Community Quarantine next week, we need clear plans on how to move forward and deal with the subsisting threat of COVID-19. It has been repeatedly said that we cannot go back to the normal we once knew. Amidst the uncertainty, we are sure of one thing—the need for an effective vaccine and proper treatment of the COVID-19 disease to end this global health crisis.
The Japanese government stated early this week that clinical trials for its vaccines are expected to start in July this year. Some multinational pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Moderna have begun the first phase of clinical trials for potential vaccines. Japan has approved Remdesivir as treatment. The Philippines has earlier joined the World Health Organization’s (WHO) solidarity trial of various antiviral drugs including Remdesivir, and has ongoing research and clinical trial on the use of virgin coconut oil as supplement to fight against COVID-19.
As we await for developments, the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) must take into consideration the different scenarios we may face in the coming months. First, assuming that a cure will be found soon, the IATF should have complete and competent preparation for the procurement and administration of the vaccine. Where, how, and when the vaccines will be distributed to the local health facilities, who will be in charge, and the different roles of other government agencies in this vaccination program need to be determined. Local government units, who have been at the front lines in managing and containing the spread of COVID-19, should be given ample support by the national government in the implementation of this program. Our health workers should be provided with adequate facilities and supplies necessary for the mass vaccination. Also, there remains the remote possibility of these vaccines and treatment options to produce adverse effects such as allergic reactions or antagonistic drug interactions. What will then be the option for those who have experienced such adverse reactions? This is the enormous responsibility that must be answered and fulfilled by the IATF.
Another scenario would be the shift to the “new normal” once the spread of the virus is effectively contained. How will we go about it? As we all know, social distancing should be maintained even after lifting community quarantine. Decongestion of highly populated areas must be continued to prevent another wave of community transmission. The working sector cannot all simply go back to their occupation. Workers should be tested prior to returning to work to prevent transmission in workplaces. We must also tap our technological resources to facilitate the transition to digital platforms to enable businesses and industries to operate and thrive even during lockdowns and only with a skeleton workforce. Essential public services and utilities, such as telecommunications, must be improved to allow work-from-home scenarios, remote operations of businesses, and, basically, the continuity of life in households. Thus, we request from the IATF that clear guidelines be set to allow people to comfortably settle in this “new normal.”
The IATF also needs to prepare for the worst-case scenario where no vaccine or medication can be proven to be effective against COVID-19. At present, the Philippines has already recorded more than 11,000 COVID-19 infections, with almost 2,000 recoveries, and more than 700 deaths. Worldwide, there are more than 4 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, with less than 2 million recovered, and deaths reaching 300,000. The WHO noted that 80 percent of the confirmed cases present mild symptoms or none at all, while 15 percent experience severe infections which require oxygen support, while 5 percent become critical which require ventilator support. Without any cure, these numbers, unfortunately, can be expected to soar. Despite the greater probability of manageable cases than severe ones, health facilities may still be burdened with the task of testing and treating large numbers of patients. Health care systems, both in the Philippines and worldwide, may then collapse if supplies and manpower run out. This is one scenario we cannot absolutely afford to happen.
The national government should consider these scenarios in crafting policies and programs that will combat the spread of the virus and help revive our economy. The IATF should starts its preparations early and manage our resources more prudently so that both national and local governments will be ready for any of these three scenarios. Mandatory quarantine must be consistently enforced, especially among those who are asymptomatic. Let us put more efforts on finding a cure for this disease—help our own research and medical teams and remain open to collaboration with foreign agencies and institutions tasked to study the nature of this virus. I also ask the national government to recalibrate their plans as necessary, adopting the lessons we learned from our 2-month quarantine, and acknowledge the need to improve existing systems to meet the demands of this crisis.
Lastly, I call for the cooperation of everyone in maintaining social distancing and proper hygiene despite the lifting of the ECQ. The ultimate goal is to eradicate the virus and control its transmission. This can only be done with the collective and unified efforts of the government and the people.