A Survey on Youth Lockdown Realizations

CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

As the zoonotic virus came to spread all over the world that started on December

2019, many individuals died because of this virus which they named CoVid 19.

According to Donald Alcendor, PHD, vaccinologist and immunologist from Meharry

Medical College and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, explained in the

podcast, the zoological intermediary to human transmission is still just a prediction.

(https://www.contagionlive.com/view/who-china-report-covid-19-passed-bats-

humans-animal). Many families experienced the feeling of losing someone they

loved and so, people were forced to stay in their homes and wear masks until the

scientists create the said vaccine. While under lockdown, people have come to the

realization that they haven’t really given enough attention to their life aspects like

their mental health and environmental health. The majority of the people confined

have struggled to cope with the sudden lockdown. In this review of literature, it is

expected to focus on the realizations the people have made while they are being

confined in their houses. We will review the effects of lockdown and then share some

solutions and recommendations on how to solve the problem.

During our lockdown, we have come to the realization that we haven’t really given

topics like mental health and environmental health we needed. While the deaths of

the carriers kept on increasing, a mass number of people also experienced grief for
their dead loved ones. And so, majority of us have struggled during our time in

confinement due to the reasons that we were not prepared psychologically and

emotionally equipped to handle the circumstances. The way of life has transformed

and even the ways we socialize have been altered by the change of time. People, as

their way of adapting to the new regulation of the government – they also modified

the way how they perceive the society because of the shift on how things are running

now. As they discovered these new enlightenments, their perceptions and

experiences to the world have changed. A lot of thoughts came upon us that gave us

a vast amount of realizations while under house arrest. One of the effects while in

seclusion was trauma and negligence to the opportunities over a sustained period of

time.

FOREIGN STUDIES

Since the first reported case in January 30, the number of coronavirus disease 2019

(COVID-19) cases in the Philippines has reached 11,876 as of May 14, 2020 – with

2,337 recoveries and 790 deaths, according to a news bulletin from the department

of health (DoH). To curb the spread of the pandemic, president Rodrigo R. Duterte

has placed the country under lockdown, implementing various health protocols and

quarantine policies per area, depending on the number of cases and available

medical facilities. (TIMELINE: What happened since the Philippines was locked

down - BusinessWorld Online (bworldonline.com))

Ever since the pandemic, the modular and online classes have been implemented by

the government. But due to the majority of the Filipinos in poverty, it affected the

rights to learn of more than 27 million Filipino students (according to

https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/filipino-children-continue-missing-

education-opportunities-another-year-school). “In 2020, schools globally were fully

closed for an average of 79 teaching days, while the Philippines has been closed for

more than a year, forcing students to enroll in distance learning modalities. The

associated consequences of school closures- learning loss, mental distress, missed

vaccinations, and heightened risk of drop out, child labor, and child marriage – will

be felt by many children, especially the youngest learners in critical development

stages,” UNICEF Philippines Representative Oyunsaikhan Dendevnorov says.

(According to https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/filipino-children-

continue-missing-education-opportunities-another-year-school).

As we are faced with the sudden isolation and met with the tragedies of our loved

ones passing away, we have felt different emotions and distress. One of those

effects of isolation was the realizations of the Filipino youths to their mental health.

The youths have undergone sudden changes in their behavior, as we grew longer

into this pandemic the youths have gained anxiety and loneliness. Some dropped out

of school to be able to help their parents in work which results to child labor. Other

youths live through being apart from their families because of quarantine which

resulted to them gaining anxiety and loneliness. The researchers’ aim is to enlighten

the readers especially youths on how the pandemic has brought these drastic

changes into our lives.

We aim to enlighten the readers as to why these realizations took root and how the

youths are currently coping with it. The youths have been faced with these drastic

changes and with just one blink, three years have already gone by. Those who

dropped out during pandemic couldn’t get back to school anymore as they are
already left behind considering their ages and the fear of being made fun of. Others

also changed their way of approach, after the pandemic their attitudes changed,

others in a good way and others in a bad way. The researchers’ goal is to show the

good and bad changes the pandemic has made to the youth. Also to gather

information about the effects and alteration of the lockdown to the youths’ mental

and environmental health.

Measles cases hit a record high in Europe.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that causes respiratory symptoms and a

whole-body skin rash. Since the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, global

measles deaths have decreased significantly, according to the World Health

Organization (WHO), but outbreaks remain a problem in many parts of the world.

And in 2018, measles cases hit a record high in Europe.

More people in Europe were infected with measles during the first six months of

2018 than during any other year in the past decade, according to the WHO regional

office for Europe. Over 41,000 children and adults have been infected with measles

since January, and 37 people have died. Previously, the highest total number of

cases in Europe was 23,927 in 2017, BuzzFeed News previously reported.

Seven countries reported over 1,000 cases, including travel hotspots like France and

Italy. Ukraine was hit the hardest, with over 23,000 measles cases, and Serbia

reported the highest number of measles-related deaths (14) out of any country.

Measles is spread through contact with an infected person or their respiratory

secretions, which are produced through coughing and sneezing. It can be prevented

with the MMR vaccine.

A drop in vaccination rates is behind many measles outbreaks. About 40% of people

in France incorrectly believe vaccinations are unsafe, as do 25% of people in the

Ukraine, BuzzFeed News previously reported.

The deadly, bat-borne Nipah virus spread in India.

The Nipah virus (NiV) is a rare infectious disease with no vaccine or cure, and a

case fatality rate of up to 75%. Early symptoms include a fever, vomiting, and mental

confusion. Nipah can cause a respiratory infection that leads to pneumonia, or it can

cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), which may lead to seizures, a coma,

or death.

In May of 2018, a deadly outbreak of Nipah virus was reported in the Kozhikode

district of Kerala, a state on India's Malabar coast. It was the first outbreak of Nipah

virus in south India, according to the WHO, and there were a total of 19 cases and

17 deaths reported, including a young nurse who had cared for infected patients at a

hospital. Following a robust public health response, the outbreak was contained and

no new cases have been reported since June.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection, meaning it is transmitted to humans from animals.

It's thought to spread through the saliva and respiratory secretions of infected bats or
direct contact with infected pigs or their tissues, BuzzFeed News previously reported.

The virus can also spread from human to human, often in health care settings or to

caregivers.

Ebola spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo, causing the second-

largest outbreak in history.

Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever, is a rare

infectious disease that's often fatal if left untreated. It is caused by a virus that's

transmitted to people through blood and bodily fluids from infected people or

animals. It can cause flu-like symptoms that lead to vomiting, kidney impairment, and

both external and internal bleeding.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing its worst Ebola outbreak to date,

sparking concern among global health officials. According to the most recent data

from the WHO, there have been 505 Ebola cases (457 confirmed, 48 probable), and

296 deaths reported in the northeastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, which

share borders with Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan.

The Ebola case fatality rate is around 50%, but it can be as high as 90%, according

to the WHO. Supportive care can improve the chances of survival. There is currently

no licensed vaccine to protect against Ebola, but an investigative vaccine, rVSV-

ZEBOV, is being offered to those considered high-risk — as of Dec. 10, over 44,000

doses had been administered, according to the WHO.

The 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the largest in history and the first-

ever epidemic affecting multiple countries and infecting some US travelers. There

were 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths reported overall.

Norovirus sickened security staff and some athletes at the 2018 Winter

Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

In February, millions of people arrived in Pyeongchang, South Korea, for the 2018

Winter Olympic Games. Among those was one very unwelcome guest: norovirus.

Norovirus is the most common cause of gastroenteritis, which is an inflammation and

irritation of the stomach and intestines. This can lead to nausea, abdominal pain,

vomiting, and diarrhea — lots of diarrhea. Treatment usually involves supportive

care, or getting plenty of rest and fluids.

People typically contract norovirus by consuming food or beverages contaminated

with fecal matter from an infected person, or from touching their mouth after coming

into contact with a contaminated surface. It spreads quickly in crowded conditions

and can spread directly from person to person through close contact.

The outbreak during the winter Olympics began among members of security hired to

work the event — as a result, 1,200 members of the security detail were quarantined

during the games and members of the South Korean army were drafted to fill in,

BuzzFeed News previously reported. The outbreak eventually spread to athletes,

including two freestyle skiers on the Swiss team. There were a total of 324 confirmed
cases of norovirus in this outbreak, according to the Korea Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention.

A monkeypox outbreak in Nigeria ended up spreading to the United Kingdom.

Monkeypox is a rare disease that causes symptoms that are similar to but milder

than those caused by smallpox, according to the WHO. It's endemic to West and

Central Africa, but it has spread outside the continent and there was a monkeypox

outbreak in the midwestern US in 2003.

The outbreak in Nigeria started in September of 2017, and between then and

September 2018 there were 115 confirmed cases and seven deaths, the WHO

reported. Of those, 37 cases and two deaths occurred in 2018. But there's something

else notable about this year's outbreak: Monkeypox spread to a country where it's

never been diagnosed before.

In September, three individuals were diagnosed with monkeypox in the United

Kingdom, according to Public Health England, which were the first cases ever

diagnosed in the UK. Two of the patients were believed to have contracted the

disease in Nigeria before traveling back to the UK, and the third patient was a health

care worker.

Monkeypox is a zoonotic infection caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), and

symptoms include a fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and small fluid-filled

lesions or "pox" that develop all over the body. Transmission of monkeypox occurs
when a human comes into contact with an infected animal or human, or materials

contaminated with the virus, according to the CDC. The animal reservoir or main

carrier of the disease is still unknown, but African rodents may be a potential source.

Hunting and handling live or dead animals is a possible risk factor.

E. coli linked to romaine lettuce caused two multi-state outbreaks in the US,

which left five people dead.

Overall, 2018 was a bad year for romaine lettuce in the US. The CDC warned

consumers not to eat the salad staple two separate times after it was linked to E. coli

outbreaks making people sick in multiple states.

In the most recent outbreak, which began in October, 52 people have been infected

from 15 states so far, according to the CDC. No one has died yet, but five people

died in a similar, larger outbreak of E. coli linked to romaine lettuce that sickened

over 200 people earlier this year, BuzzFeed News previously reported.

Escherichia coli are bacteria that are commonly found in the digestive tracts of

humans and animals. Most strains of E. coli are harmless, but some can cause

serious food poisoning and other illnesses. The strain in the outbreaks linked to

romaine lettuce is called E. coli O157:H7, which is particularly bad because the

bacteria produce a potentially life-threatening Shiga toxin.

E. coli infections typically cause severe diarrhea and cramping, but some can lead to

urinary tract infections, pneumonia, or kidney problems. People usually get exposed
to E. coli through contaminated water or food, or through contact with sick people or

their fecal matter.

LOCAL STUDIES

MANILA, Philippines, 19 September 2019 – The Philippine Department of Health

(DOH) today announced an outbreak of polio in the country. A poliovirus case was

confirmed on 16 September 2019 in a 3-year-old girl from Lanao del Sur. In addition,

environmental samples from sewage in Manila and waterways in Davao were

confirmed to contain the virus.

“We are very concerned that polioviruses are now circulating in Manila, Davao, and

Lanao del Sur,” said World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in the

Philippines, Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe. “WHO and UNICEF are working closely with

the Department of Health to strengthen surveillance and swiftly respond to this

outbreak. We urge all parents and caregivers of children under 5 years of age to

have them vaccinated so that they are protected against polio for life.”

“It is deeply disconcerting that poliovirus has re-emerged in the Philippines after

nearly two decades. The outbreak calls for urgent action to protect more children

from being infected. It reminds us of the importance of increasing immunization

coverage to 95% of children to stop polio virus transmission in the Philippines.

Vaccination is the only and best protection against polio that mainly affects children

under 5 years of age. As long as one single child remains infected, children across

the country and even beyond are at risk of contracting polio,” said Oyun
Dendevnorov, UNICEF Philippines Representative, “UNICEF is working with

Department of Health and WHO to accelerate actions for the health and safety of

children in the Philippines, especially in the affected regions.”

WHO and UNICEF also remind families to wash their hands regularly with soap and

water, use a toilet, consume food that is fully cooked, and drink safe water. If the

safety of your water is in doubt, boil it, ensuring it is bubbling vigorously for at least

one minute before allowing it to cool.

The Department of Health (DOH) today declared a measles outbreak at the

National Capital Region (NCR).

Based on data presented by the DOH Epidemiology Bureau, the number of measles

cases at the National Capital Region from 1 to 19 January 2019 has reached 196

cases as compared to 20 cases reported in the said region at the same time period

in 2018. For the whole year of 2018, NCR registered 3, 646 measles cases as to

against 351 cases in 2017.

“We are declaring an outbreak as cases have increased in the past weeks and to

strengthen surveillance of new cases and alert mothers and caregivers to be more

vigilant,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.

The National Capital Region is composed 16 cities and one municipality. These are

cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela, Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig,

Taguig, Makati, Manila, Mandaluyong, San Juan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas and

Muntinlupa, and the lone municipality of Pateros.

Related to this health threat, other regions under tight watch by the DOH include

regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6,7, 8, 9, CAR, CARAGA. These regions need to likewise

scale-up their response against measles and having all unvaccinated children

vaccinated against measles, a proven effective and safe measure to further stop its

spread, is required.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. It is transferred

from person-to-person by sneezing, coughing, and close personal contact. Its signs

and symptoms include cough, runny nose, red eyes/conjunctivitis, fever, skin rashes

lasting for more than 3 days.

The disease’s complications included diarrhea, middle ear infection, pneumonia

(infection of the lungs), encephalitis (swelling of the brain), malnutrition, blindness

which may lead to death.

“Nutritional support and oral rehydration are important measures to increase body

resistance and replace lost body fluids caused by coughing, diarrhea, and

perspiration,” Duque said, adding that immunization and vitamin A supplementation

of nine-month old children are the best defenses against measles.

The DOH is advising mothers, the public to bring all suspect cases to the nearest

health facility for early treatment and proper case management.

Polio Outbreak

The 2019–2021 polio outbreak in the Philippines was an epidemic. For the previous

19 years, the Philippines was free of any polio-related diseases. On September 14,

2019, the disease began to resurface through a positive test result done to a 3-year-

old girl from Mindanao. After the confirmation of a second case from tests done on a

5-year-old boy, the government of the Philippines publicly declared a polio outbreak

on September 19, 2019.[4] On June 11, 2021, the WHO announced that the

outbreak has ended.

2022–2023 mpox outbreak in the Philippines

The 2022–2023 mpox outbreak in the Philippines is a part of the larger global

outbreak of human mpox caused by the West African clade of the monkeypox virus.

The outbreak was first reported in the Philippines when a suspected case was

confirmed on July 28, 2022 according to the Department of Health