5A-campaign vs. COVID virus and variants

Recent reports and messages mention a hike in COVID cases in Cebu City, in certain barangays and in hospitals. Many have observed that the cases seem to have increased faster and this can be a cause of extreme alarm. We all need to remind ourselves that the COVID virus and variants are still spreading!

To continue to stay safe and well, let us all heed and join the 5A-campaign vs. COVID virus and its variants!

These are the 5As- Ampo, Amping, Aware, Andam, and Alisto!

1. Ampo.

Let us all remain in prayers and ask God to protect us all from both the virus and the variants! May God heal those affected by COVID and receive in his kingdom those who died because of COVID.

May he comfort the families left behind, that they be kept safe and with his grace, move on in strength and hope.

May God also take care of all the health workers and frontliners and guide leaders to genuinely and honestly take care of their constituents.

May God also send cures and, in his mercy and compassion, end this pandemic soonest, amen!

2. Amping (this term kindly suggested by Councilor Joel Garganera).

May everyone take care and responsibly remember to follow the health protocols always. Those who have completed their vaccination will please be reminded to still continue to protect themselves from the virus and variants by always complying with health protocols!

May everyone also care for each other during this difficult period.

May those who are blessed share their blessings with the needy.

Like the prayer in the Revised Oratio Imperata, “may everyone’s concern and compassion for each other see us through this crisis and lead us all together to conversion and holiness!

3. Aware 4. Andam 5. Alisto

Correct, reliable, and honest data can best inform/guide, appropriately prepare people and policy promptly/without delay!

The more reliable information people know, the better they will protect themselves, their families and their communities.

The more correct data the policymakers have, the more responsible they will be in providing people and communities immediate, appropriate, and essential services, protection and best care.

Reliable public information should be done and widely disseminated promptly/regularly/ sustainably through all forms of media.

Barangays, churches, LGUs, companies and other institutions should also actively/promptly issue regular updates of COVID cases and reminders of how to deal with COVID to contain the virus in their areas soonest and effectively.

Also, multi-sectoral, multilevel collaboration will always see all through any crisis, including this present pandemic.

Gratefully, our COVID data tracking partners of the Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE-Cebu) immediately responded to our request last Wednesday for them to update and publicly share again their valuable COVID data-related links!

For Philippine and Cebu Hospital Occupancy Snapshot as of 20210714, Mr. Dennis Ponce Tagamolila shared this valuable link: https://datastudio.google.com/s/jwOpY_7T6Qg

Dennis reminds us that for now, “we are still green at all levels but there is a distinct uptick in occupancy”.

If you want to check which hospital is available anywhere in the Philippines, please access his PH and Cebu tracker, “drill (scroll) down by Region, Province, City/Municipality for current inventory and availability.

The data for his COVID-tracker is taken from DOH Hospital Inventory Database - bit.ly/DataDropPH.

Our RCE-Cebu COVID-data tracker partner in Japan, Dr. Joel Bandibas, also readily activated his app that provides nation-wide data about COVID from the same DOH database mentioned earlier.

The URL of his app is https://jcb-spatial.com/phlCOVID19/ for Philippines and https://jcb-spatial.com/cebCOVID19/ for Cebu.

Please carry these precious links with you and please share these so all are informed about valuable data related to COVID (all the way to barangays) and hospital occupancy and availability!

Stay safe, everyone!