Life Changes in Pandemic

(Picture was taken at the mega vaccination center provincial capitol if Ipil)

I would like to start this essay by introducing myself. My name is Valery Borja. My purpose for
writing this essay during this global pandemic is to provide a personal perspective of my
experience throughout this historical event. To begin, the first time I heard about the COVID-19
virus was towards the end of January 2020.
At first, I didn’t believe that the said pandemic is going to affect us. I thought that it will be
curable in the short period of time like the other viruses. I didn’t care that much about it because
I thought it was going to be a similar situation.
But on March 2020, in a televised announcement, President Rodrigo Duterte said existing travel
restrictions and containment measures were not enough to arrest the spread so it was time to lock
down the country’s main island to minimize social contact and allow health workers to move
quickly to control the contagion.
That is the time all of us are needed to have a quarantine pass, it designates a household member
as the representative of his or her household in procuring necessities. This disallows other family
members to buy goods and conduct transactions outside their homes.
And also, the mass vaccination, vaccination is not mandatory. But the government highly
encourages the public to get vaccinated and be protected against preventable disease.
I am fully vaccinated at that time when the unfortunate thing happened, all of us in the family
were tested positive in the covid 19. That time was very hard for me physically and emotionally.
It does really affect our mental health at that time. But I just think that’s it’s also gods plan that
we will be quarantined for almost 21days. But I will not more elaborate all of the happenings.
I had completely adapted to our new living conditions. The word “social distance” has been
ingrained in every member of our society at this point. In all honesty, I think it would be okay
with me if we kept some of the social distancing rules.
This experience has also taught me to enjoy the little thing in life that we take for granted. I
learned that adapting is the best form of survival, I cannot predict what the future but I’m certain
whatever it would be