As experts advise healthy lifestyle: 4 PUMs allowed to return home

CEBU, Philippines —  Four of 25 persons under monitoring (PUM) from Taiwan who were placed under the jurisdiction of the provincial government at the time the travel ban on the country was in place have been allowed home quarantine.

They arrived here on February 12 together with the 21 passengers who have been sent home to Mindanao on February 13 and 14.

The four were made to sign a document, which says they will commit to have themselves checked at a hospital in case they manifest flu-like symptoms.

The decision to allow home quarantine for the four came even before the national government lifted the travel ban on Taiwan. The national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases agreed to lift the travel ban reportedly because Taiwan has observed strict preventive measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

When the ban was put in place, a total of 74 Filipinos arrived at the Mactan Cebu International Airport on February 12. Of this number, 25 were put under the care of the provincial government and were assigned to the province’s facility in Barangay Apas.

The rest were assigned to the facility of the Department of Health-7.

However, the passengers in the Apas facility complained of lack of running water, smelly blankets, and lack of bed sheets at the facilities. Because of the complaints, the province decided to allow those not from Cebu to return to their places of residence like the 21 who were allowed to fly to Mindanao.

The remaining four were then allowed home quarantine.

Healthy Lifestyle

As experts continue to look for cure for COVID-19, the National Nutrition Council-7 reminded the public to adopt a healthier lifestyle to help fight viral infections on a personal level.

NNC-7 regional nutrition program coordinator, Dr. Parolita Mission, advised eating healthy, exercising or being physically active, hydrating, and getting a good rest.

On eating healthy, Mission advised consuming at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day as they are loaded with Vitamin C. This vitamin is one of the biggest immune system boosters of all. In fact, a lack of vitamin C can even make you more prone to getting sick. Foods rich in vitamin C include citrus fruits like oranges, dalandan or “ukban” and lemon. They are also rich in folate (folic acid) and dietary fiber and other antioxidants. Green leafy vegetables like malunggay, camote tops, and alugbati are also good sources of dietary fiber, Vitamins A, C and K, and minerals such as iron and calcium that help boost our immune system along with fruits.

Mission said the immune boosting vitamin can be sourced from sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, spinach, red bell peppers, eggs, and vitamin A fortified foods like milk and cereals.

The public is also urged to include foods high in Vitamin E in the daily diet. This vitamin improves immune function by neutralizing free radicals. Vegetable oils, nuts such as peanuts, almonds, seeds and green leafy vegetables are rich source of this essential vitamin.

Zinc also helps the immune system and wards off viruses. Zinc can be sourced from meats, shellfish, legumes like beans, seeds, nuts, dairy products, eggs, and whole grains.

The World Health Organization, however, reminded the public to be wary of raw food.

Mission said exercise and physical activities help maintain the ideal body weight, as well as reduce blood sugar and cholesterol level. At least 30 minutes of exercise or an hour of physical activity is recommended daily.

Keeping the body hydrated is one very essential reminder to fight against infections. Mission said fluids in the body need to be replenished constantly to keep tissues healthy. Eight glasses of water a day is recommended.

Healthy diet and regular exercise also need to be partnered with rest, Mission said. She said a well-rested body does not only strengthen immunity but also improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, helps control body weight, and protects against a variety of diseases including viral infections.

Mission reminded the public that getting eight hours of sleep a day is still ideal. JMO (FREEMAN)