MORAL DILEMMA: WHETHER OR NOR EXTEND THE ENHANCED COMMUNITY

QUARANTINE

The world is going through some crazy times right now. The deadly Corona Virus is spreading
quickly, and citizens are very uneasy, anxious and panicky because of this. Some people do
panic buying and other selfish things, whilst others bring out their compassionate self and tend to
other people's needs. Also, Enhanced Community Quarantine has been implemented, locking
down millions of families inside their homes, having no jobs, and very little financial support
from the government, they are struggling to feed their families, and themselves. It's not just that,
the government decided that the ECQ should be extended, to prevent the further spread of the
virus, which puts millions of families safe from the virus, but also uneasy because they have no
jobs to keep their families fed. On this note, we should all know how to assess if our deeds are
going to be morally and ethically correct, and therefore, we'll use the "7 Step Guide to Ethical
Decision Making" as our guide through this process.

Step 1; Gather the facts:

Specifically, about the problem that we have mentioned earlier. Here are the facts that we
will work with in this dilemma:

First of all, there is the fact that the ECQ will last until May 15 because of the Corona
Virus. The news media states that the virus is very deadly, as it can spread really quickly.
It can spread through small droplets from the mouth or nose of an infected person. It is
best to keep a 3-meter distance from people so that you would avoid catching the said
virus. That is why the ECQ has been implemented so that there would be no reason for
people to go out of their houses and possibly come across someone else that is infected.
This solves the first problem, but it creates another one. The fact that most families
cannot support their families because most businesses have been shut down and there is
no way that they can earn for their living. These facts create a dilemma whether the ECQ
Extension is actually Ethical or not, because poor families might not die from the virus,
but rather die from starvation.

These facts create a dilemma whether the ECQ Extension is actually Ethical or not,
because poor families might not die from the virus, but rather die from starvation.

Step 2; Determine the Ethical Issues:

We have two major problems with this. First is the rapid spread of the said virus. It is
extremely contagious, and there should be no mass gatherings to avoid the spread of it,
and everyone should just be in their own homes. Then there comes the second major
problem, which is the fact that most families will not be able to sustain their needs if they
all just stay at their houses and not earn money. The ethical dilemma that we will be
facing here is to either extend the quarantine, prevent the spread of the virus, but the poor
families will starve because they have no jobs, or let the public continue their works but
take the risk of the virus spreading.
Step 3; Determine what Virtues / Principles have a bearing on the case:

In this situation, there are 2 major factors to this dilemma, the dangers of the Corona
Virus, and the dangers to the Labor industry. Economic Problems will rise if this
Quarantine goes on for longer times, and it will affect everyone in the country, and most
probably the whole world. On the other hand, if we just let people roam around and
continue work, the virus will spread really quick and might possibly eradicate a lot of the
population on different countries.

Step 4; List the Alternatives

We need to state the alternatives and options to solve the current dilemma. The first
alternative is to continue the quarantine and keep the economy at the minimum until the
virus disappears. With this solution, the government should be responsible for the welfare
of its people. Relief Goods and Financial Supports should be given, prioritizing people
who really need it. The second alternative is to stop the quarantine, resume all the normal
work and school routines, but everyone should take very extreme precautions, wear
masks, gloves, and getting too close to people. The government should implement safety
precautions very strictly, or else the virus will spread, and quite possibly wipe out all of
its citizens. Those are the only two possible options for solutions that we could think of.

Step 5; Compare the Alternatives with the Virtues / Principles:

The first one will be effective, and most probably the safest option, since the quarantine
will prevent most human-to-human contacts, and the chances of the virus spreading will
be very low, but it is up to the government to provide the basic needs of its citizens. The
second option will most likely not solve the problem. Although it looks like it is a good
option, there are people who’re very stubborn and will most likely not comply with the
rules that the government will implement. Even with protection like masks and gloves,
the virus can still spread through other means, like food, and it is said that masks do not
really do much in terms of protection since there are going to be gaps on the sides of it
when worn, which will be a passageway for the virus.

Step 6; Consider the Consequences:

Having people resume their work will have more consequences rather than keeping them
safe and quarantined at home. Resuming work will pose a great threat and a huge
possibility of a worse outbreak, and quite possibly affecting most of the people in the
country. With the state of our public health care, we have a small chance of possibly
getting through a larger epidemic outbreak. Having the quarantine however, will most
likely get us through this epidemic, as it will not spread fast and it will be easier to
contain, but at the cost of having millions of families have a hard time finding food to
feed themselves, which can actually be fixed by the government by giving enough basic
supplies to its citizens. 
Step 7; Make a Decision.

I personally think that the first option will be the best and the safest. Zero contact will
mean zero spreading and zero casualties. Also, the government is now doing its best to
provide for the needs of the Filipinos, giving canned goods and rice to people who are in
need. They could do more, but for now, I think this is enough. 

We have decided that the Enhanced Community Quarantine is ethical, and actually a
good choice, since it puts the citizens’ safety first. It will be up to the government to
implement this correctly, as this virus is not just a health concern, not just an economic
problem, but a national threat to our beloved country.