ECQ. MECQ. GCQ. Do not let these acronyms confuse you since these all mean community quarantine but each with certain allowances and restrictions. Now that we transitioned from MECQ to GCQ, it does not mean that the pandemic is no longer a threat because it still is.Filipinos really have a good way of making things light despite hard times. Netizens even dubbed the situation as Survivor Philippines: Matira ang Matibay. Despite it being a joke, it is a euphemism of what is going on.
Commuters are the ones at most risk since transportation is limited and it cannot accommodate everyone. Even though the government gives free rides to commuters, social distancing is no longer observed. They have no choice but to fit themselves in military vehicles as a desperate move just to get to work on time. As much as the people want to observe social distancing, they cannot.
Prior to this, the metro was placed under MECQ on May 16 and malls were already jam packed as if there was no pandemic at all. It was something that made everyone worry a lot since the whole point of being on quarantine for months would be put into waste in no time. On the other hand, malls and public spaces have been stricter in implementing social distancing.
As long as there is no cure for COVID-19, social distancing is very crucial. Aside from mass testing, it is the most effective, most efficient, and cheapest way of preventing further transmissions of the virus. Whether we may have “already flattened the curve” or not, COVID-19 remains a deadly disease.
We must stay vigilant and follow COVID-19 measures and protocols. We may have gradually adjusted to the new normal but we must never be complacent. As what Winston Churchill said, “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
Sources:
https://www.onenews.ph/who-s-to-blame-crowding-in-malls-roads-under-mecq-gcq-bewailed
Author
Sophia Orlanes
Features editor
HiLites ASHS 