Stay home, stay well

What day is it?!

What day is it again?! It's easy to lose track of days during this global pandemic, but we are not alone in this situation. If we're talking about numbers, more than a third of the world's population is under some form of restrictions.

We are on the sixth week of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) here in the Philippines; the ECQ which was first set to end on April 30 was extended until May 15. My husband and I were on a flight from Saudi Arabia a few days before the restrictions were imposed. We were quite thinking about our plan to fly home but we push through anyway amid the possibilities of flight cancellations and cities around the world announcing lockdown. Our families did not know that we were going home because (1) we wanted to surprise them, and (2) we wanted to minimize their risks of contracting the virus by not welcoming us in the international airport. Only my brother-in-law knew that we were coming and he came to pick us up at the airport.

The past month was full of uncertainties with a few new rules being implemented each week. A quarantine pass was issued for each household; the quarantine pass holder is the only one allowed to go out to buy supplies and run essential errands. Some local government units have been generous in distributing goods to the residents more than others. I am grateful that we have enough food on our tables and a roof over our heads since the ECQ was implemented; our comfortable situation makes me think about the marginalized population. It's a good thing that there are many ways where we can help - when you turn on the TV or check social media, you'll see calls for donations. If helping locally is your preference, I believe it's easy to coordinate with the authority as I have seen from friends who organized donation drives and relief operations.

If you have limited resources and just have enough to get by, then it is best to follow the rules, try as much to be healthy, and avoid catching the virus. It is hard to get sick during this pandemic. I hope we'll come out of this - stronger and more conscious and careful about our hygiene. Here is a simple reminder I made about doing our part during these days. Stay healthy, and stay at home if you have nothing important to do outside. God bless you - cheer up!

Do your share. Stay home, stay well.