Hope, vigilance, and bivalent vaccines

Early last month, local media took an interest in the University of the Philippines Cebu because of its memorandum ordering a temporary shift to online classes for a week due to a notable increase in recorded cases of colds and flu on campus. This came around the time when the World Health Organization declared "with great hope" the end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency, although stressing that this does not mean the disease is no longer a global threat.

We at UP Cebu had to issue a clarification stating that the temporary shift to online classes for a week was to allow for thorough disinfection of all classrooms before resuming onsite classes. This came after a total of 32 students with cold/flu symptoms consulted with the campus clinic from April 24 to May 4. In a statement, UP Cebu said that the move was part of the standard protocols under the new normal.

As the world moves forward from the pandemic that stalled many aspects of life for about three years, there is an obvious desire to return to the normal buzz of pre-pandemic activity. If you've been to airports recently, you'll understand what I mean. Crowded terminals and consistently fully-booked flights, coupled with the deterioration of service and comfort that comes with high air traffic, show how much we all want to start moving again.

This is why the news that the Cebu City government has deactivated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in response to the WHO's declaration of the end of COVID-19 as a public health emergency, along with the arrival of bivalent vaccines against COVID-19 in the country, seems to drift unnoticed as people's attention moves on to other things.

I, who first wrote about what was then called the "2019-nCoV" in January 2020, haven't written about the pandemic for about six months now. One to two years prior to that, the topic was a constant in this column, for obvious reasons.

But now, I'm returning to this topic with more good news and in a brighter mood. One thing we must learn from this pandemic is that, like in life, nothing is permanent, whether good or bad. Things eventually change and we must all continue to cling to hope. The worst thing that could happen is to lose hope. Today, one can truly say things are returning to normal, though masks have become a mainstay for many. Some people, like myself, prefer to continue wearing them, particularly in crowded areas, to prevent spreading or contracting infections.

Now, with the bivalent vaccines against COVID-19 finally available in our country, the Department of Health encourages all eligible individuals to receive a third booster shot against COVID-19. These vaccines offer protection against both the original COVID-19 strain and Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. Over 390,000 doses of the bivalent vaccine, donated by Lithuania, arrived in the country last Saturday.

Even though we feel like we're over the hill in this pandemic, we must not become complacent. The arrival of these bivalent vaccines is a reminder that our battle against COVID-19 continues. It's important that we continue to respect and follow health protocols, including getting vaccinated, particularly with this new booster shot. Vaccines are not just for the protection of the individual but for the collective immunity of our community.

It's quite disappointing to recall that in the past, many vaccines didn't reach the arms they were intended for because there were fewer takers. I hope this won’t be repeated with the arrival of the bivalent vaccines.