Just as I sat down to type this, news came out on TV, via CNN, that vaccination will be made available to teenaged people, aged 16 years and older. I have not come across an explanation why those younger than that are not eligible, but I guess medical people have good reason for deciding on that. It’s a pity, though, because, we are not sure that youngsters, I mean, teenagers, are not susceptible to it. I also have not heard or read any justification for it.
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What was prominent in the news was that European countries are tightening restrictions, and I hope our countrymen and women who are now living or working there are spared. Europe, I hear, is advanced as far as vaccinations are concerned. How is our country doing? News recently said that in Bacolod, officials will be vaccinated first. I guess that was decided on because they are the ones who must go around, checking on their constituents, and therefore could be easily exposed. But has such vaccinations of officials already started? I hope so, because it will mean that ordinary citizens will be in line for it later.
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Have you noticed that for several weeks, eve months now, the most covered subject has been the COVID, or coronavirus pandemic? What about the vaccines supposed to be the antidote to it, are they already available countrywide in the Philippines? Will we see a time when COVID will be a word mentioned in past tenses, like other epidemics and pandemics that had hit mankind before our time? It seems unbelievable that with the advances in medical research and in the production of vaccines and other medicines for maladies considered incurable before, we have not yet heard of a sure-fire one for COVID.
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What about those who have been inoculated with available vaccines, have they all been protected from it so far? That, we do not know yet, but certainly we hope and pray that the vaccines will be available to all our people, and even to the doubtful ones, so we can determine how well they work. This far, however, I haven’t heard any report of anyone already vaccinated who still got infected by the COVID. And let’s pray that our medical community will pool all their knowledge and resources to produce, not only a real vaccine, but also an effective cure for those already infected.
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But we should sympathize with the people of Myanmar who got surprised, rather, shocked one day when their military staged a coup d’etat, and took over the civil government . Those who feared military rule tried to flee to India, but while some managed to get out, many of those also attempting to do so were caught and punished. I hope India will give them sanctuary, that is, if it is not threatened by Myanmar’s spies and military. But maybe India is a bigger country and may not be easily intimidated by Myanmar’s soldiers.
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Another shocking massacre was recorded in the United States the other day when a man with a gun entered a supermarket and started firing at the shopping crowd and was not controlled until he had killed ten people. Now the poor housewives and other shoppers have become paranoid about going shopping, in fear that some gun-happy madman may have entered and start playing with his firearms, killing people for no reason at all. I am glad to hear that President Joe Biden has proposed stricter processes in the acquisition of guns.
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It is true that we are more strict in granting licenses for firearms, but many crimes committed lately have been committed with the use of unlicensed ones, anyway. Our lawmakers should be thinking of passing laws to make acquisition of firearms more difficult and complicated, and more severe penalties for those who commit crimes with the use of unlicensed firearms. I hope that will make gunholders think twice about going trigger-happy.
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Meanwhile, a report said that both the United Kingdom and the United States are set to impose sanctions on Myanmar where the military had staged a coup and are now ruling the country with an iron hand. Of course the people of Myanmar, many of whom have already fled to India, must welcome liberation from Martial Rule, but could there be some among them who would reject intervention from other countries? Who was it in history who, upon hearing his people call their leader a fool, reacted by saying “He may be a fool, but he is our own fool”. At least we’ve never had a fool for a leader, but corrupt ones, we certainly suffered under for years. Can we now swear to “Never again!” elect one?*
