Coranavirus: Here’s the advice on how to

protect yourself

Carry S. Peralta
Grade 10 student at Aguilar Catholic School

I tried to condense the pandemic that infiltrated our young lives and wreaked
havoc in its wake into a single word. Through the eyes of the young, I wonder how it
feels to witness the world fall apart before our very eyes, to see the majority of humanity
striving to fight back against this unseen threat. At such a young and critical moment in
our lives, we are witnessing a worldwide crisis affecting not just health, but also many
elements of our society, and the scope of its negative consequences may be too
intricate and convoluted for us to comprehend.

Now, I'd like to know how you, my youthful friends, are feeling. Is everything okay
with you?

There is one thing that is certain. For me, this is not an isolated incident. It is not
easy to go through this crisis, and it has never been easy for anyone else. Right now,
we're fighting our own wars. It must have been difficult to be cut off from our friends,
family, and the rest of the world. Still, I'm confident that we'll be able to get through this
together.

We stay in our houses for our personal good and for the greater good. We might
be able to assist our country in standing up and fighting for our health-care employees
who are on the front lines of this conflict. They are the ones who have become our new
world heroes. We also recognize the contributions of our low-skilled workers in the fight
against the pandemic. Our janitors and street sweepers maintain our neighborhoods
clean so that we don't have to worry about health hazards. To our barangay officials,
police officers, and government personnel who protect the safety and well-being of our
countrymen in their communities, ensuring that every family has enough food to eat and
survives each day. To civil society and non-governmental organizations that participate
in providing basic needs to the least fortunate. Thank you, on behalf of the youth. There
are still a few people who haven't been acknowledged. But, even from the safety of our
homes, we have watched your admirable efforts to assist and serve the people who are
in desperate need of basic necessities as a result of the lockdown's reduced access to
resources.

Yes, I hear you, my young friends. These heroes have inspired and motivated us
all. Those who contribute and play a part in the betterment of our country via their
tireless efforts. We, too, wanted to do something. I sense your intense desire to provide
a helping hand. Yes, indeed! Even from the comfort of our own homes, we have a lot to
do. Let us finally consider the wellbeing of our fellow Filipinos in light of the epidemic
after binge-watching all those shows you wanted to view in the last month and all the
books you may have read, reread — again and again — right now.

But there's no need to feel rushed. It's not like we have any obligation to do so.
Take as much time as you require. We'll go when you're ready. This is motivated by a
sincere desire to help our developing country. Shall we proceed without further ado?

First and foremost, we must teach ourselves to stay at home unless absolutely
required or if we have immediate demands that require us to leave our houses. As a
result, let us share this message with our peers as well as those who are inside our
sphere of influence. We must engage in minimizing the increasing number of incidents
in order to flatten the curve. Observe physical distance and exercise self-isolation from
people when you're sick. This is already a huge aid in the fight against the epidemic. So,
friends, stay at home!

COVID-19 is spread by infected people coughing or sneezing, which releases

tiny contaminated droplets into the air, placing everyone in close proximity at risk of
breathing them. These droplets can travel up to a metre from the infected person, letting
them to settle on any surface and infect everyone who comes into contact with it.

One of the most effective ways to reduce or stop the virus from spreading is to
practice proper hygiene. After researching about how we can prevent the spread of
COVID-19, I have stumbled upon this six things we can do to stop the spread of
COVID-19 virus that we should practice as a form of self-awareness.

I’m sure that you have heard about this before, the first one is to Avoid touching
your eyes, nose and mouth. The reason for this is that our hands, touch door handles,
keyboards, taps and numerous other surfaces, so the virus could easily be picked up
this way. Rubbing tired eyes or touching your nose or mouth could transfer the virus
from your hands into your body.

Second, is to Wash our hands regularly! As explained in number 1, our hands

can easily pick up any dirt including virus so keep this in mind. Clean your hands
thoroughly and often, using plenty of soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub to
kill any virus on your hands. Scrub for at least 20 seconds, making sure you clean
fingers, thumbs and palms. You should practice this everyday to ensure your safety and
the safety of those around you too.

Third, is to Practice respiratory Hygiene, If you cough or sneeze, use a tissue

and throw it in the trash afterwards. If you don’t have a tissue, cough into the crook of
your arm instead of using your hand. If possible, avoid coughing or sneezing near other
people. This shouldn't be hard to do keeping in mind that you are helping yourself and
others by practicing this.

Fourth, Maintain Social Distancing! Be aware of people around you and keep
your distance from anyone coughing or sneezing. Stay at least 1 metre away to prevent
inhaling the small liquid droplets sprayed by coughs and sneezes. If you are still not
vaccinated this is the best way of preventing the spread of Covid-19 as well as wearing
face mask and face shields! This is for your own good too, don’t be selfish!

Fifth, If any symptoms develop, seek medical care as early as possible. This is
only applicable if you really are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19. Do not self-
medicate if you know that it is not just a common cold. Another thing is to get
vaccinated, I know that many of us are scared due to several casualties after getting
vaccinated, but think about how your chance of getting infected by the various is lower
compared to not being vaccinated where your whole health is exposed to the deadly
virus.

Lastly, is to always be informed! Social media is powerful, don’t just follow meme
pages or your favorite artists, you must also follow pages that spread awareness
through the use of social media, this can give your time on social media more meaning.
You’re sitting there anyways, watching junk why don’t you get yourself useful
information that can help you to be aware and also help others.

Now, as we struggle to transition from our young lives without lockdown to the
‘new normal’ with the rest of the world, my hope is that the spirit of our resilience and
the camaraderie among Filipinos and the global community persist and win against all
the forces that try to bring the whole world down.

Let us stay safe, well-informed and positive as we fight hand in hand. We will get
through this crisis together and we will be multiple steps closer towards a new world
with a healed humankind.
With a brave heart amidst the uncertainties of the future, let us hold on to each
other, shall we?