Mask on

I hope that our government expected a surge on the COVID cases. Last month I have mentioned on one of my articles that they have started to loosen up with the restrictions. Honestly, when I heard about it, I was not happy. Why? We have not reached zero or double digit cases yet and they have allowed people to be out. I am not really sure with the exact statistics but last I have heard was that our lowest was probably more or less 200.

The people were so thrilled about it that they imediately went to the mall with their kids. Some went to the beach that even with the cold weather they braved the cold waters. Some also went back to the office, some ate in restaurants and also some partied in bars like there is no virus at all. I acrually want to rant about how these peoplr are so complacent thinking that just because they are vaccinated they are already immune and they can do everything they want.

I feel sorry for the people who contracted the virus because of some irresponsible people. I feel sorry for the people that even if they are not tested positive, they are still affected by the virus because some got laid off or their work schedule have lessened again or some companies have closed down or opening hours have decreased. Whether we are tested negative or positive, employed or unemployed, rice or poor, we are all affected by this virus.

Just last night my mom received a call from her friend who lives in the same subdivision and she was tested positive. She lives with her husband and a helper. They all did a self-test and it came out negative even with the symptoms. After a couple of days, she tried testing herself again because her symptoms werr getting worst. On set od hwr symptoms, our neighbor who was a doctor had already assumed that she was positive. Even if she was in denial, they all did self-testing and isolation eveb if it was negative. Only when they did tested positive did they accepted that they have contracted the virus.

Then last night, my brother called me and informed me that their helpers and driver were all positive. My brother had a test at their office a few days ago and thank God that he was negative. He got himself some test kits so the people at their household can get tested. My brother did a self-test even if he was already negative along with the other people at their house. It turns out that the helpers and the driver contracted the virus. As to where, we do not know. It is only my brother who goes out and the driver. My brother is just house to office and office to house. Their driver on the other hand went to a hardware store recently plus he also got a booster last week. But as per my brother, my godson's nanny was the one who first started to have fever. So I am guessing that the driver may have been asymptomatic.

My question is, how accurate are this test kits? Or are we allowed to do self-test even if we are not knowledgeable in this kind of field? What if by doing this self-test may implicate more danger to us because we got in wrong with the swab? For me, I would still want a medical practitioner to do the testing not just for me but for everyone.

Lucky are our relatives in South as they have 3 nurses with them. When 2022 started, my cousin's wife also had the symptoms and was also in denial but one of my cousin's wife who was a nurse and have available test kits on hand did a testing on her and her family and results were positive. These days I am hearing a lot of people getting the virus and positive cases have now reached to 30,000+ in almost a month or less. Bravo Philippines! I think we are going to be on top again.

We have been experiencing this pandemic for almost 2 years now. Other than the COVID essentials like alcohol, face masks and face shields, what are the things that you have bought or would want to buy just to keep you and your family safe during these trying times? As for me, I have long wanted to buy these things:

Air purifier

Even before the pandemic, I really wanted to buy this because of my allergic rhinitis. When I saw its price 4 years ago, I was slightly shocked. LOL. But I told myself that I would want to have this in the future.

Floor fogging machine

I saw this at my brother's house and they switch it on whenever my brother or their driver would come home. My mom and I had also experienced it when we went to their house late 2020. I do not know if it really helps but I feel that it is necessary. As if we always go out for me to want it. LOL.

I do not know if these 2 are really helpful against harmful viruses or if I will really buy it but we all know what the best protection we can have other than building our immune system and face masks are prayers. Prayer to keep us all safe and for this whole pandemic to end. Also it would be better if we can limit ourselves from going out.

I drafted that part last night before I sleep. I woke up this morning with a message and missed call from my brother. He messaged me past 2AM and he was saying that he started not feeling well so he did another test and he tested positive. After reading his message, I called him right away to check up on him. I think he got infected when he did the tests to their helpers and driver. I asked what he was wearing and he said that he doubled his masks and had gloves when doing their tests. I am guessing that he did not change his gloves when he did all the tests. I still don't know but I believe it has something to do with the testing.

Because of the sudden increase in COVID again, my mom and I are now wearing masks even at home. The last that I have heard is that there were 50+ cases in our subdivision. Their exact addresses are not known and that was only the update after new year. The homeowners association are not updating us anymore about the positive cases here in our subdivision but I know that they have implemented total lockdown on all of us.

I hope that you and your family are safe and will be free from COVID. Let us all be responsible to help decrease the number of people getting infected. Stay at home. Keep safe. God bless all of us.

January 12, 2022

P.S. lead image is a photo of me last year with face mask and face shield.