COVID-19. Just that term is enough to get you questioning how 2020 has been to you, personally, so far. I have seen an abundance of posts on Facebook and Twitter from people badly wishing for a re-do. They jokingly ask where the reset button is for 2020, since nothing good has panned out a quarter into the new year.
January
Where I live, a volcanic eruption occurred about two weeks into January. That eruption caused tremendous damage, there were lives lost, homes devastated, and places almost erased from the map. The ensuing ash fall was deemed of epic proportions with people living in cities miles away from the actual area feeling the effects.
Oh, and five days before January ended, I literally woke up to one of the most shockingly devastating news ever – Kobe Bryant’s apparent death due to a helicopter crash along with his 12-year-old daughter Gianna. It was heartbreaking. I am just a fan, but I couldn’t help the tears falling from my eyes. My heart broke for those left behind and for those who perished in that fateful crash.
Death has taken on a new meaning for me ever since November of 2018, but that’s a story for another post.
February
Come February, the threat of a novel Corona Virus or COVID-19 loomed over people when news broke out that the virus was wreaking havoc in China. On a personal level, February wasn’t too kind to our family – my aunt (dad’s eldest sister) passed away after spending almost a month in the intensive care unit of a local hospital. I was ready to welcome March with open arms, but boy, was I wrong.
March
By March, news that the Corona Virus has become deadlier broke open. Apparently, the virus has spread to other populous countries, including the Philippines, and has infected more people than anticipated. As of 21 hours ago, CNN Philippines reported that COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 217 with the death toll at 17. There is a handful of infected Filipinos who have since recovered, but until those who have recovered outnumbers the tally of infected individuals, everyone is on pins and needles.
Nationwide lockdown has been implemented. Employers have been urged to make arrangements for employees to start working from home for about a month as medical front liners try to contain the spread of the virus. Everyone is encouraged to stay home and practice good hygiene. Even religious activities have been put on hold for the foreseeable future or at least, until the coast is clear, literally.
News Surrounding COVID-19
News reports, both fact-based and fake, are sadly causing people to panic, and honestly, it’s frustrating. I am not here vilifying these people who are panicking. It’s just that I think panicking will only make matters worse. Once panic sets in, you’re bound to lose your reasoning power. It’s an assault to one’s mental prowess, and once you’re unable to think clearly, you will literally start living in fear.
I, for one, don’t want to live in fear. Yes, I worry, too. I worry for my dad, I worry for the people I live with, I worry for my family who are in different parts of the world. However, there is one scripture from the Bible that I always meditate on. It’s from Isaiah 26:3, which reads,
You will safeguard those who fully lean on you; You will give them continuous peace, because it is in you that they trust.
Yes, I observe precautionary measures, too. I try to abide by the government mandated lockdown. Still, for as long as I lean on God and trust in Him, I know that I need not panic. All these will be over soon, and we’ll all go back to our normal way of living. Until then, let us all do our part by following the authorities and continuously praying. That’s the best we can do.
