The long road

No vaccine, no opening of classes. This is President Duterte's statement during his late-night addresses. As long as there is no vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, he will not allow schools to open. He sees social or physical distancing in schools to be close to impossible to implement. That's probably even worse in public schools. He goes on to say that if doctors or engineers cannot graduate in this batch, then so be it. That holds for every graduating student, be it in college, or high school. What if it takes years for a safe vaccine to be made? As a follow-up, the Palace has just clarified that no face-to-face classes can be held until the quarantine is lifted. That contradicts Duterte's statement, doesn't it?

Two Taiwanese and two Chinese companies have been given the authority by the government to conduct clinical trials of a vaccine in the country. Has an actual vaccine been created by these companies? Who would qualify as test subjects, just in case? Is the vaccine safe? What are its side effects, if any? These are just some of the questions I would ask these companies? The new coronavirus is not yet fully understood so creating an effective vaccine may be difficult. We do not want a repeat of what happened with Dengvaxia where Sanofi Pasteur's warning about its proper use came late.

I feel for all students. They may be enjoying an extended vacation but what happens to their education is important. Some schools may shift to an online homeschooling system, but these are only for the schools that can afford them, as well as the students. What about those without the internet, or those who cannot afford a laptop or a device? The internet itself is a factor. The country doesn't exactly have fast, stable internet. Actual classes, or face-to-face if that's what they want to call it, must be on the table.

On another note, the president still trusts DOH Sec. Duque. This after a group of private hospitals has asked the president to replace "an exhausted Duque" as health chief. It has mainly to do with Philhealth where Duque is also chairman. The repeated promises of Philhealth on reimbursements is the issue, particularly those involving the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Duterte has also claimed responsibility for the expensive PPE purchases now being investigated by the Senate. He remembers ordering Duque to go ahead and purchase the gear and equipment even if expensive, and do everything possible even borrow, steal, and even kill just to provide what the frontliners need as the country was in peril. Does this mean the investigation is over?

A return to normal life hinges on the development of a viable vaccine. A vaccine truly safe for use sans any harmful effects. Without one, the new normal must be in place. I even see hesitation once a vaccine is announced. Many will surely wait for the first recipients' reaction if immunity is attained. As I said, the road to a safe, viable vaccine is unfortunately long.