GOVERNANCE MATTERS
Former Vice President Jejomar Binay
In many countries, the rapid spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant is forcing their respective governments to rethink and recalibrate their decision to allow people to gather and relax health measures such as the wearing of face masks in public.
Most of these countries have successfully managed to control the virus, to the point that for the past few months they have allowed bars and restaurants to serve more customers, and gave the go signal for live concerts and movie screenings in cinemas to resume. All these activities, however, are now being carefully re-examined because of the Delta variant.
Previously, health experts had declared that fully vaccinated individuals may gather without masks. But the World Health Organization (WHO) is reiterating that vaccines alone will not stop the community transmission of the new variants. Vaccinated people still need to wear face masks and avoid crowded or indoor settings. For the WHO, fully vaccinated people must continue to "play it safe" because a large portion of the population remains unvaccinated and that these new variants are triggering an increase in cases in many countries.
Here in our country, the variant could disrupt government’s ambitious target to vaccinate 70 per cent of the population in the so-called NCR Plus 8 by the last quarter of the year. A research fellow from the independent OCTA Research Group had observed that the vaccination target, with the goal of achieving herd immunity in these areas, was set before the entry of the Delta variant. New variants have been known to contribute to surges in infections, a pattern that the group had observed since last year.
This puts government in a bind over its recent decision to further relax restrictions in Metro Manila. For those who have recently ventured out, it is impossible to ignore the return of traffic gridlocks. It seems that many residents, eager to break free from weeks of confinement, have been spending more time out of their homes and attending reunions, parties, or visiting tourist spots.
Thus far, government has not discouraged people from engaging in social activities. In fact, some government officials are encouraging people to go out more often. It is also not making enough noise to warn people about the dangers posed by the newer and more infectious variants. The only reference to the Delta variant thus far was a statement that government has managed to prevent it from spreading, for now.
Should COVID-19 cases begin to rise again - something we are fervently praying will not happen - one can expect government to once again blame the people for being “pasaway.” It is an oft-repeated line, and a tired one. Government has made it part of their communication strategy to blame the public’s supposed transgressions rather than admit to its glaring and unforgivable lapses in managing the pandemic.
Until now, government has yet to improve its mass testing and contact tracing capabilities. These steps have been proven effective in containing the virus, as shown by the experience of other countries. Border control is seen as another weak spot. And vaccine procurement? Let’s not even go there.
Despite these failings, some government officials have displayed undying faith and admiration for their own management skills. A few have gone to the extent of politicizing the pandemic. They have confidently declared that administration candidates enjoy an advantage in the forthcoming elections because of government’s “excellent” management of the pandemic.
These declarations are, without a doubt, overblown and over-indulgent. If there is anything that some government officials have an excess of, it is self-praise and arrogance.
Perhaps they need to be reminded of the age-old saying that pride comes before a fall.