Public safety first

The Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has postponed the ASEAN Para Games, the 2020 National Sports Summit, the Philippine National Games, and other agency-driven events on the order of President Rodrigo Duterte, due to possibie danger from the novel coronavirus. In a conversation with The Star prior to the postponement, PSC chair Butch Ramirez admitted that there were concerns that large gatherings, particularly international ones, may be an unnecessary risk. Ramirez explained that some ASEAN countries, for example, are in close proximity to territories that have had people test positive for the novel coronavirus. It would be far more prudent to hold the events at a time when more information and countermeasures are available.

Here in the Philippines, casinos and other gaming establishments, as well as games with live attendance have seen a palpable drop in sales. Events from cockfighting to basketball and boxing are seeing patrons shift to the side of caution, for now. 

China has already cancelled or postponed international matches in men’s and women’s football, badminton, boxing, basketball, synchronized swimming, tennis, golf, cycling, skiing and even Olympic qualifiers in many sports. The World Track and Field Championships slated to open Feb. 12 in Nanjing is now in limbo. Obviously, nobody wants to risk infecting the populace at a sporting event. That would run counter to what sports is all about. Besides, nobody can claim to know every means the virus (or any contagion, for that matter) is passed from one person to another. Best to wait and see what other preventive steps may be taken. 

Papers have been published illustrating how athletes may infect one another. In their abstract of “Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Competitive Sports, 2005–2010” published in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Journals, Cathal James Collins, MB BCh and Brian O’Connell, LRCP and SI MB BCh, surveyed the constant threat of infection at sporting competitions at 21 outbreaks or clusters in the given time period. Among participants, the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen, passed on through the upper respiratory tract or on the skin. “The majority of outbreaks reported occurred in close-contact sports, mainly combat sports (ie, wrestling, judo) and American football. Twelve outbreaks (57 percent) involved high school or collegiate competitors. Common community outbreak pathogens, such as influenza virus and norovirus, have received little attention,” their paper noted.

For spectators, air conditioning counteracts the natural protection of the environmental in a tropical country like the Philippines. The heat we feel normally kills many bacteria and other microscopic organisms that carry disease. Humidity in the air also plays a role in shortening a pathogen’s lifespan. Both are eliminated in an enclosed, air-conditioned venue. Temperature is lower, providing a more comfortable milieu for microbes. Dry air also helps some of them thrive. This is why people experience raspiness in the throat inside an aircraft. You find yourself drinking more not because you’re thirsty, but to moisten your throat. Also, recycled air is not as healthy as fresh air in a clean, outdoor environment. 

When you are in close proximity to a lot of people you don’t know, there are more challenges to your immune system. Your body is adjusting to an artificial environment. The dry, cool air is more conducive to keeping microbes alive. You could be incubating a cold, cough, flu or other illness without knowing it. Under normal circumstances, your body can fight off more common infections. Constant disinfection (hand washing or using alcohol) and wearing a mask (if it makes you feel safer) would be the first line of defense if you have to be in a crowded place for now. 

It may also be time to rethink some of our own habits when out together with friends and family. Sharing drinks and utensils, for example, may not be the safest or healthiest practice. Parents and children, couples and even close friends do it. Though it is socially acceptable and even considered romantic, the body chemistry of men and women, and children and adults are different. Plus, the mouth is a melting pot for different microbes, most of which your body can tolerate, but perhaps another person’s cannot. Particularly with smaller children – who still have an underdeveloped immune system – it is better to play it safe.

You can never really know if someone is carrying an illness just by observing them, unless the illness causes extreme sweating, change in skin color or body temperature, or excessive coughing, wheezing and so on. Even then, it could be just a bad allergy. As long as you keep yourself healthy and your immune system strong, you’ll have some measure of safety. That means enough sleep, a decent diet and moderate exercise. In other words, the basics. The novel coronavirus mainly victimizes children who have not fully developed their immune and respiratory systems, and the elderly whose respiratory systems have been weakened by other illnesses. Try to know all the facts to avoid passing on false information and causing others to panic.

Most importantly, maintain your equanimity. Being calm allows your immune system to function optimally. Protect yourself, avoid crowds when possible, and be vigilant. Be objective and observant, at least for the next couple of weeks. You may also want to reconsider any showy public Valentine’s Day plans for now.