Nations try to halt the spread of Coronavirus by putting daily life near a standstill. Schools, major sporting events, concerts, and even work has been cancelled in an effort to try to flatten the curve of this global pandemic. Locally, the entire Luzon region has been placed on enhanced community quarantine until April 14, 2020. With this, here are simple acts that you can do to help during this crisis.
1. Stay at Home
Similar to a common cold, Coronavirus spreads through the respiratory droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets could then be transmitted to surfaces that we touch or worse directly to another person. While there are symptoms that determine whether a person is infected with the virus, recent developments have shown that some cases have appeared to be asymptomatic, showing no clear signs or symptoms. Thus, the best way to contain the virus is to limit the amount of social interaction by staying at home.
2. Stay Informed and Spread Awareness
As we are caught in the middle of this global pandemic, there is much uncertainty that lies on what is to come. We could only hope for the best and equip ourselves with proper knowledge that could help put things into perspective. By staying updated and sharing information about the recent developments of the virus as well as the best practices, we are able to address the issue more effectively as people know exactly what to do. We just have to be wary of sharing information only from credible sources. Below are some websites that could help you stay informed.
a. World Health Organization Basic Protective Measures Against the New Coronavirus
b. World Health Organization on Coronavirus
c. Philippine Department of Health Live Updates on Coronavirus
3. Donate
This global crisis has required drastic measures and big adjustments in order to contain the disease. Since then, it has displaced a great number of people leaving them with no livelihood apart from the frontliners have been risking their lives as well for the welfare of the majority. We too could do our part in extending help by donating. Below are some platforms where you can donate.
a. LazadaForGood
This online platform features several partner NGOs that target different sectors affected by the enhanced community quarantine. They have predetermined amounts in varying denominations that range from PHP 1 to as much as PHP 5,000. The NGOs included are Philippine Red Cross, UNICEF, and Kaya Natin for the frontliners. Caritas Manila, Virlanie, Tulong sa Kapwa Kapatid (2KK), and Project Pearls for the poor and general public that lost their livelihood.
b. PayMaya #OneAgainstCovid19 Drive
PayMaya has set-up a one-stop digital donation facility that can be accessed online or in-app as part of their efforts in combating the pandemic. Amount for donation items in kind are specified per organization to show transparency and their partner organizations include the Philippine Red Cross, United Nations Children’s Fund or UNICEF, Oxfam Pilipinas and Caritas Manila, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, TV5’s Alagang Kapatid Foundation, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Nowhere To Go But UP Foundation Inc., Rock Ed Philippines, Ronald McDonald House Charities Philippines, UTown Pen Foundation and YesPinoy Foundation.
c. GrabBayanihan
GrabBayanihan is a community initiative aimed at addressing the economic and medical pain points that were brought by the global crisis. It includes two programs namely the GrabBayanihan Car and Donate through Grab Rewards. The GrabBayanihan Car is a specialised fleet which aims to provide round-the -clock free transportation service for healthcare workers while Donate through Grab Rewards enables people to convert their grab points into a cash equivalent for donations to the Philippine Red Cross. To learn more and donate you may visit the the Grab app or click the button below.
