Aiming for more Life and less COVID-19

To the vast majority of human beings, there is nothing more important than life, in all its facets. Health is, by the way, one of its essential assets. In order to enjoy more years, it is paramount to maintain our physical, mental and social wellbeing.

Yet, it is sad to see how such physical, mental and social wellbeing has been broken for over a year now. There is a fear to get infected by COVID-19 and die, or just to infect others, the anxiety and sadness for not hanging out and interact, and share quality time with family and friends.

Not to mention the post-COVID trauma, which torment people at night. A lot of people cannot move on due to SARS-Cov-2. It is just so hard to forgive yourself when you infect a parent, a grandparent, and that person cannot fight to the end.

There are lots of people who believe that in order to get out of such hard time, we must protect ourselves, cooperate, adapt to the needs at the time and be aware of our actions. In this “game”, a wrong call, may well turn into an overwhelming defeat.

However, there is another group that as if they were characters in a fiction novel, they do not understand the importance of wearing face masks most of the time. These people have not understood the effectiveness of social and physical distancing. How can they ignore this crisis?

It is tough being admitted in a hospital with shortness of breath and cannot be treated because there are not enough beds available, or the facility does not have enough oxygen tanks, or watch people die in the streets as it has already happened in some nations in Latin America.

We must be aware of the reality surrounding us, the figures aired every day of new positive cases, the high number of death. We are experiencing all this process. Nonetheless the risk perception is low, while responsibility vanishes.

That is why, this April 7th —the World Health Day, honoring the foundation of the World Health Organization— must be a global call for a more civic and responsible behavior, and indeed, reciprocal with doctors and nurses in the frontline of this battle.

By staying at home, complying with the hygienic-sanitary measures and wearing face masks, we will quickly notice the change. It is not the time to low our guard because we know there is a vaccine, as this is not even close to a really massive vaccination campaign.

Few people have received all doses. And yet we do not know if vaccines can really provide full immunity. Not to mention that lots of countries will be left out of massive vaccination campaigns because they are too poor to pay for vaccines while powerful nations monopolize them. Meanwhile, new strains of SARS-Cov-2 emerge and continue to develop. We actually do not know how everything will end.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff