IAN CARL N.

MIRANDA Grade 8 - Lotus

With all the news, good & bad, each one is still
on his own
Published February 17, 2021, 12:46 AM
by  Manila Bulletin

The good news is that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the
Management  of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has allowed,
starting Monday,  the raising of  the limits on  church attendance in
General  Community Quarantine (GCQ) areas like Metro Manila from 30 to
50 percent,   and the  reopening on March 1 of movie houses  up to 50
percent of capacity.
It is a sign of the improving COVID-19 situation in the country. Staring last
Tuesday, the IATF also allowed more foreigners to enter the country, including
foreigners with valid working visas, student visas, special investors visas,
and  special employment generation visas.

Around the world,  the number of new cases  decreased by 24 percent in the United States and Canada,  20
percent in Africa,  18 percent in Asia,   15 percent in Europe,   10  percent in Latin  America, and 2 percent in
the Middle East.  The biggest falls were in Portugal, by 54 percent; Israel, by 39 percent;   Spain, by 39
percent;   South Africa, 37 percent; Colombia and Japan,  by 35 percent.

Not so good was the news this week that the Department of Health had found 19 more cases of the United
Kingdom variant of COVID-19, for a total of 44 now in the country.  The vaccines  now being administered in
the US and Europe do not seem to be effective against the variant, so the vaccine companies are now rushing
efforts for new ones good for all  the expected variants.
The supply of vaccines now being administered in the US and Europe — Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca —
have  been largely cornered by the rich countries, so that the World Health Organization (WHO) has organized
the  COVAX Facility to secure some of these vaccines for distribution to the poorer nations of the world,
including the Philippines.
It must be pointed out that all these vaccines have been granted only Emergency Use Authorization – the US
Pfizer and Moderna vaccine by the US Food and Drug Administration — because of the ongoing world
emergency. Russia and China have approved seven of their own vaccine candidates.

It took up to five years for various vaccines now in common use to complete all the needed testing to ensure 
they are effective and safe for  groups such as children and old people, such as those for chicken pox,
measles, mumps, and polio. COVID-19 emerged only in December, 2019, so the present vaccines have not
gone through the usual five-year development and testing period.
It will take many months – and for many countries, years – before they can undertake any massive vaccination
program. That we in the Philippines have been able to keep our cases down is the result of the early
government restrictions and the people’s positive response to the restrictions.

We expect to start receiving some US vaccines this month but only a few hundreds of thousands of doses,
when we need some 70 million to achieve significant immunity for our 110-million populations. This will take
many months, years.
Ultimately, it will be up to the people to face this problem, as we have faced it all these many months – with
each one protecting him/her with face masks and face shields, proper distancing, and personal hygiene.

As the national economy cautiously proceeds to reopen, as we start going out of our homes to go to market, to
malls, to schools, movie houses, and churches, we must maintain the care and caution we have developed
over the months. For the COVID-19 virus is still around, ready to victimize the careless among us.
IAN CARL N. MIRANDA Grade 8 - Lotus

PERFORMANCE TASK IN ENGLISH 8

IAN CARL N. MIRANDA Grade 8 - Lotus

MY OPINION

COMPARISON CONTRAST

In the same way, it was really true that it Unlike other vaccine they took years to be
took years for various vaccines; it is sure in the vaccine, contrary of that I’m not
because doctors want to make sure that the very sure of the vaccine that they gave to
vaccine is safe and effective. the people was safe and effective, even
though they tested it many times. My trust
on it is 0%, it looks like they just injected
the animals and they will just wait for the
result whether it is safe or not.
Similarly to the writer’s opinion, let us face
the problem, let us fight and continue
battling. We got this for almost a year, but
still it’s harder and harder for us but always
Although, IATF allows more foreigners to
pray to God that you and your family is
enter our country, it was very dangerous to
always secured and protected.
the Filipinos, because we are exposing to
the virus if they continue to enter more
foreigners. We didn’t know if they carried
the virus or not, even though they are
In comparison with that, we can reopen the negative to the tests but sill the most
market, malls and churches but make sure important is the health of more Filipinos.
you are protected with the face masks and
face shield. It was very truly that the Covid-
19 virus is still around and ready to
victimize the careless even us. I am disagree to the national economy that
we can reopen schools and movie houses,
because we do not allow children and
oldies t roam around because we not yet
Likewise, other countries that already sure if it is safe to go outside. It is better
vaccinated their cases getting worst, I’m having online classes rather than face to
pretty sure that vaccine companies tripled face classes.
their time to give people the best vaccine
and to lash out the Covid-19 virus.

Unlike in other countries they have self-

discipline, even they roam around they
have this characteristic, but here in the
Philippines we lose discipline once we
leave our houses. However, I do not favor
that almost 50% can go inside the church
or movie houses. As I always says, Covid-
19 virus is still around.
IAN CARL N. MIRANDA Grade 8 - Lotus

WRITER’S OPINION

COMPARISON CONTRAST

It took up to five years for various vaccines It took up to five years for various vaccines
now in common use to complete all the now in common use to complete all the
needed testing to ensure  they are effective needed testing to ensure  they are effective
and safe for  groups such as children and and safe for  groups such as children and
old people, such as those for chicken pox, old people, such as those for chicken pox,
measles, mumps, and polio. COVID-19 measles, mumps, and polio. COVID-19
emerged only in December, 2019, so the emerged only in December, 2019, so the
present vaccines have not gone through present vaccines have not gone through
the usual five-year development and testing the usual five-year development and testing
period. period.

Ultimately, it will be up to the people to Starting last Tuesday, the IATF also
face this problem, as we have faced it allowed more foreigners to enter the
all these many months – with each one country, including foreigners with valid
protecting him/her with face masks and working visas, student visas, special
face shields, proper distancing, and investors’ visas, and special employment
personal hygiene. generation visas.

As the national economy As the national economy

cautiously proceeds to reopen, as we start cautiously proceeds to reopen, as we start
going out of our homes to go to market, to going out of our homes to go to market, to
malls, to schools, movie houses, and malls, to schools, movie houses, and
churches, we must maintain the care and churches, we must maintain the care and
caution we have developed over the caution we have developed over the
months. For the COVID-19 virus is still months. For the COVID-19 virus is still
around, ready to victimize the careless around, ready to victimize the careless
among us. among us.

The good news is that the Inter-Agency Not so good was the news this week that
Task Force for the Management  of the Department of Health had found 19
Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) more cases of the United Kingdom variant
has allowed, starting Monday,  the raising of COVID-19, for a total of 44 now in the
of  the limits on  church attendance in country.  The vaccines  now being
General  Community Quarantine (GCQ) administered in the US and Europe do not
areas like Metro Manila from 30 to 50 seem to be effective against the variant, so
percent,   and the  reopening on March 1 of the vaccine companies are now rushing
movie houses  up to 50 percent of capacity. efforts for new ones good for all  the
expected variants.