Editorial

Heeding medical advisories as disease prevention norm

Scary as it is, the outbreak of corona virus disease (COVID-19), which originated from Wuhun City of the province of Hubei in mainland China, shook the tables of world governments and filled the quarantine halls of hospitals  following deaths of more than 2,000 in China alone, not to mention the voluminous contaminations.  And now Italy has the highest toll outside of China.

        Scary as it is, our Department of Health has further intensified its medical advisories and advocacy for healthy lifestyle and hygiene as preventives or shields from virus and bacterial infection. We should heed these information and educational program since medical exigencies are really costly, especially for the wage earners who often don’t have enough savings for such emergencies. As the saying goes: “Prevention is better than cure…” and this phrase is a social medication by itself. Take note, remorse comes in the end when remedies are already defaulted.

        Hearing from medical specialist-educators, viruses and different forms of bacteria attack, in an epidemic proportion, the human anatomy by season or circumstances. Dengue fever becomes prominent during rainy or wet season, especially in the tropics. Flu is likewise seasonal as an outbreak, hence, the exigency of immunization. Viruses sink during hot season and health authorities in China have high hopes that COVID-19 would slow down when summer comes. So households have to watch on the seasons and the corresponding types of ailments that may come our way so preventive measures can be adopted, including restrictions from wading through flooded streets, especially among children.

        This lately, we see health workers roaming in the barangays to administer anti-polio vaccine following the rebirth of poliovirus late last year and this menace is highly communicable, hence, our sensitivity to environmental sanitation. The water system could be a source of poliovirus. Also this recent, we hear of barangays administering anti-flu vaccines. Adults and senior citizens should also present themselves in health clinics for anti-pneumonia vaccination since they are more vulnerable to respiratory diseases.

        As one physician said: “Medical formulas today are already state-of-the art,” meaning, one should incept the precautions before the disease strikes, such as taking multi-vitamins when indeed necessary, or seeking medical consultation for preventive prescriptions. But no self-medication please or reliance to so-called herbalic intakes without information on side-effects or their proprieties.

        Modernity is enslaving ourselves to proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle. Life longevity should now be a norm of conduct if we want to enjoy the world with least pain and cost. Living longer is now affordable because of science and advanced technology.

        Educate oneself against the onslaught of different types of virus and bacteria.