The Realities of COVID-19

This year is turning out to be a brutal onslaught of realities that has not toned down a bit. It's already March, but right now, we are still dealing with the monster that is Covid-19 that started in December 2019. The scary thing about this is that it's much closer to home now, and it has infiltrated almost all parts of the globe.

As I'll be working from my condo here in BGC for the next foreseeable days (or weeks), I figure I might as well make a day-to-day account of what's been happening.

In 24 hours, Metro Manila will be put under community quarantine. This is essentially a lockdown, as announced by the President. This means that all travels by land, sea, and air to and from here will be suspended for 30 days or until April 14, 2020. I still don't know what that actually entails, and the uncertainty is unnerving.

Anyhoo, before I get lost too much in the rabbit hole of current events, here's a daily timeline of what's been happening in the last couple of days. I'll try to update this on a daily basis or as often as I can.

March 6, 2020 - It's Friday, and after not going out a single time since the year started, I decided that tonight would be the night to just chill and have fun. I went out drinking with my friends at Chotto Matte, and I went home a little worse for wear. I swore that I would never drink again (as if).

March 7, 2020 - Saturday. I woke up with a hangover, but like the true millennial that I am, I reached out for my phone to check my FB despite my head feeling like it would burst. It was all over the news that an employee of Deloitte tested positive for Covid-19, and from two (2) previous positive cases in the Philippines, there were now four (4).

The crazy thing is that the Deloitte office, where that employee work, is in the same building as Chotto Matte, where I went out drinking with my friends the night before.

March 8, 2020 - I went through some online grocery shopping websites and thought about stocking up. While my emotional scaredy cat brain is telling me to stock up, my rational self is reasoning out that it’s too premature, that everything will be okay, and that this will pass. My rational self won, especially taking into consideration my budget. LOL.

However, several of my workmates are now expressing concerns because of the close proximity of the Deloitte building to our office, which is literally just across the street. I’m starting to get worried about reporting to the office as well.

March 9, 2020 - It’s Monday, and I didn’t want to go to the office. I thought of calling in sick, but our HR urged us to report to the office since there’s no mandate to work from home yet.

She also reassured us that the management would discuss today whether or not they would allow us to work from home in the next few days.

Since I had lot of things that I needed to do, I went to our office despite not wanting to. Late in the afternoon, our CEO announced that we would have a work-from-home dry run tomorrow. YAY.

March 10, 2020 - I worked from home today, which was good, but what was not good was that the number of Covid 19-positive cases in the country was rising really fast. It’s scary. I’ve been following the news ever since it started to spread at an alarming rate in January, but this time, it’s not something that I just read anymore. Covid-19 is here, and it’s real.

March 11, 2020 - Wednesday. After several depressing news about Covid-19 and the steadily rising number of positive cases, our CEO announced that we would be working home for the rest of the week. It’s not something to be happy about at this point. :(

I still haven’t bought the damn groceries because I didn’t want to panic-buy, but upon checking out the grocery websites, it seemed like everyone already was panic-buying. The delivery time, which used to be on the same day, now had a waiting time of around 3 to 5 days. WTF.

Because I’m frustrated with how my  online grocery shopping was turning out, I went and bought gloves and some alcohol pads online instead. Take that.

March 12, 2020 - Thursday. The number of positive cases was now at 59. Huhuhu less than a week ago, there were only two (2). We’re fucked.

Several of my friends urged me to stock up now because Metro Manila would be placed on lockdown. Apparently, President Duterte would be announcing it later lin the evening. Sensing that it's real this time, I immediately dashed to Robinsons Supermarket, which was the nearest grocery store to our condo, to stock up on supplies because the hell, it’s really happening.

When I got there, it looks like everyone got the memo as well because there were a lot of people, and it was crazy. Like seriously. It took me almost 2 hours to find everything that I need (there's no more water and eggs though) and another hour just to line up to pay.

I was told that I should stock up on food that would last me for at least a month. Considering that I live alone, I think I could stretch whatever supply that I have to last me that long. As grateful as I am that I don’t have to worry about anyone else right now (my family is in Cebu and they have already prepped) because I’m on my own, it’s also quite lonely and scary. I mean, what if things get really bad? Who do I call? :(

In the evening, President Duterte announced that Metro Manila would be placed under community quarantine, and all travels by land, sea, and air would be suspended for 30 days. The lockdown would start on March 15. I thought about going back home to Cebu before that happens, but I don’t think that would help in any way. I decided I would just stay here inside the condo for as long as I need to be.

March 13, 2020 - It’s Friday the 13th. Lockdown will start in less than 2 days. I’ve never felt more alone than today and staying at the condo by myself.

My housemate Rosh went home to her family in Quezon City, and I’m not sure if she’ll be back next week.

Our CEO just announced that we will be working from home from March 16 to 20, so Rosh could basically work from her own home during those time.

For lack of anything better to do, and because all the news today were depressing AF, I decided to whip up some Japanese curry. It was good, but I hated the fact that I forgot to buy cornstarch. In another time, I would have gone downstairs to buy some, but thinking about going through those elevators and pushing doors and being around strangers, the cornstarch was not worth it.

Anyhoo, to remind me that this is not just a bad dream, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia also sent out advisories informing everyone that all their domestic flights to and from NAIA starting March 15 is cancelled. :(

Everything is so depressing right now. I hope things will be okay soon because the world really needs a break. The weather is also  getting pretty hot, that I hope it fries all the Coronavirus everywhere. Lastly, I wish all the hoarders of face mask and alcohol who sell them for outrageous prices amounts go to hell.

Sigh. Wish me luck as I navigate day to day in a city whose travel will be cut off for a month. I feel so alone. :(