Miracle cure

By Netnet Camomot .

ILANG tulog na lang, April 15 na.

Well, no more tulog for accountants as the income-tax deadline looms overhead. Their clients waiting with bated breath until they see their financial statements and income tax returns. The Bureau of Internal Revenue and the government seemingly bent on not postponing the deadline to, hmmm, April 16. Haha.

January to April are the worst months for taxpayers—from business-permit renewals to income taxes. These were already causing panic, pressure, and stress before the pandemic, how much more now as Pinas’s daily Covid-19 tally continues to remain close to 10,000 cases. A little below, a little above, somewhere up there.

Meanwhile, some governments have managed their Covid-19 response well, and their countries now have zero or near-zero cases. In at least one country that now has zero cases, you’re the odd one out if you’re wearing a face mask, people will look at you suspecting you’re sick.

Pinas can only wish for a tourism travel bubble such as that of Taiwan-Palau, and Australia-New Zealand. But the Pinoy is thinking positive as usual as he travels to other places in Pinas, bent on enjoying his vacation no matter what.

The way the Pinoy has been behaving in this pandemic is somehow proving that he could be selfish, he has the potential to have crab mentality, and there’s a possibility he doesn’t care at all. All he cares about are selfies in tourist spots, restos, and cafes, and posting these on social media. After his friend has posted photos of a new place, he will then visit that same place and also post photos. And those photos are becoming funnier—exactly the same background, but with a new set of people.

I now wonder. If these same people will visit Europe, be prepared for their social-media posts. You’ll have it up to here with their photos, albums, YouTube videos, Facebook Live videos, and neverending captions. Here’s unsolicited advice: they should morph into vloggers already so their audience can understand why. We will all then like, subscribe, and follow.

I do understand that social media is a coping mechanism for some people. But social media can be harsh. If the post is not attracting likes and comments, is that still a coping mechanism? Or is posting anything on social media already a coping mechanism, and the likes and comments don’t matter anymore?

And because the Pinoy wants to go out for his selfies, he now has to rely on unproven Covid-19 cures, and would even try to convince his family and friends to take the same.

We rely on doctors, the Food and Drug Administration, the World Health Organization, the US’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and all other certified medical professionals and organizations for our health. For people in remote areas, however, where doctors don’t exist, there’s the albularyo. But when Covid-19 is inspiring doctors to morph into an albularyo, you start to scratch your head, afraid you now have lice and need to take meds that were once prescribed for your pet dog.

Like your selfies in that exact same spot where your friend had his selfies, the support that the Covid-19 miracle cure has received so far is becoming funnier, too. Perhaps someday in the future, this cure will prove to be the real deal and its supporters will then have the last laugh. But for now, the skeptical and cynical are better off waiting for the vaccine to reach their upper arms.

Covid-19 vaccines have had their share of conspiracy theories, controversies, and intrigues, too. Such as who’s raking in money from this. Who’s gaining financially from this. Who’s swimming in cold hard cash a la Scrooge McDuck in his Money Bin.

“Money, money, money / Must be funny / In the rich man’s world.”

See? There’s that word again: funny. The simpler version of funnier.

When a friend posted photos of the sunflowers that are blooming in his backyard, I warned him to prepare for the tourists that would now descend upon them for selfies. But he said no need to worry—his pit bull is right there, waiting for trespassers.

But some people do worry. How long does the vaccine remain effective. When will the pandemic end. Will the world ever return to the old normal. Whew.