Getting carried away

“Seriously people - STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #coronavirus,” but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!”

– Dr. Jerome Adams, US Surgeon General

This was the response of America’s highest-ranked physician to the hysteria and paranoia surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, which has now become a political powder keg there. In many countries, the unreasonable fear of the virus has spurred people to making decisions all in aid of excessive caution. International sporting events, concerts, business investments, conferences and other important gatherings have either been postponed or cancelled altogether, with disastrous economic impact.

For the most part, wearing any face mask is more of a security blanket, a psychological palliative, to make you feel that you’re doing something. Medical professionals around the globe are speaking up, now that the initial social media outburst over the illness is dying. And they’re implying - or outright saying - that we’re getting carried away. For goodness’ sake, even Corona beer has taken a huge hit. Isn’t anyone thinking anymore?

Let’s say, for example, you’re going to a live basketball game or boxing match. What are the precautions you can take? First, keep washing or disinfecting your hands. Most people touch their faces reflexively every few seconds. If you can control this impulse, that’s a great start. Secondly, keep yourself hydrated. Some scientists have said that even if the virus enters your throat, you can flush it down into your digestive system by drinking constantly. Your digestive acids will kill it easily. COVID-19 is apparently not a very sturdy organism.

In arenas and stadia, watch how your food is prepared. Make sure it is cooked well, particularly meat and egg dishes. Remember, fast food services aim to get as much food out as quickly as possible. An extra minute or so on the griddle would be a good safety precaution. A lot of food is half-cooked when delivered to the venue to save on prep time. They also do the bulk of their business at halftime and between matches. Avoid buying food at those times. Lines will be shorter if you do, anyway. 

If you watch outdoor sporting events live, you’ll be better off. The temperate and humid Philippine climate drastically lowers the survival rate of the virus, which needs dry, cooler weather to survive and spread. If we take care of ourselves and watch the people around us, we will be safe. It just takes a little vigilance and caution, nothing extraordinary, to have peace of mind and go about our business daily. The sooner we realize this, the sooner we can counteract the ignorance (and bias) even of Western media. In a competitive atmosphere, sensational headlines create more buzz. 

Let’s look at some other facts before giving in to paranoia. First, the mortality rate of COVID-19 is very low at roughly two percent. That means that a huge 98 percent recover. Furthermore, the illness is concentrated in certain areas, so you just have to avoid those places. Third, the majority of afflicted are elderly who have respiratory diseases, and children with undeveloped respiratory systems. Healthy adults are unlikely to get it. Stay away from sick people or someone obviously coughing and wheezing. 

If you are actively exercising or working out, the previous precautions also apply. In gyms without air-conditioning, you have less likelihood of getting an infection. Endorphins and adrenaline boost your immune system, and make you feel better. On the other hand, if you overdo it, you could tax your body too much and make it vulnerable to pathogens. And if you weren’t feeling well to begin with, working out may even make things worse. Your body’s resources may be divided or diverted away from the healing process. Sleep, supplements and hydration may be better if you’re under the weather. 

Let’s also consider that Western media skew their reporting against the unfamiliar. China, the starting point of COVID-19, is still a mystery to much of the world. US media also have a predisposition against the Middle Kingdom because of their economic and political rivalry. The US had previously branded China as the villain of the modern world, and the COVID-19 case appears to cement it. Everyone else is along for an exaggerated ride, which makes discernment our responsibility. US media portrayed China as a security threat by having many military facilities abroad, when America itself has almost 10 times as many. So we also need to realize the agenda of our sources of information.

Once again, it is up to us - nobody else - to make sure we are healthy, happy and safe, and able to enjoy life. Masks may only be a placebo, it seems. At the end of the day, there is very little reason to cancel or postpone athletic events. We can go on with our lives. We just need to take the precautions we should have been taking, anyway.