BUENAVISTA, Guimaras – The municipal government is prohibiting long vigils for the dead to reduce the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission.
According to Mayor Eugenio Reyes, vigils must not exceed 15 days and the venue must only accommodate 20 people at the most.
His Executive Order No. 021, Series of 2020 limiting the vigils was “in compliance to the level 2 response under the Guimaras COVID-19 response plan,” according to Reyes.
He previously issued Executive Order No. 010, Series of 2020 suspending the holding of events involving a large number (20 or more) of attendees.
Guimaras is under modified general community quarantine.
While Reyes acknowledged that “during funeral wakes and vigils relatives and neighbors gather to show sympathy and compassion to the bereaved family,” he also pointed out that such is “considered as holding of events involving large number of attendees (mass gathering)”, hence requiring regulation.
As of Dec. 12, Buenavista’s COVID-19 cases reached 71 (cumulative; since March).
The town has six active cases left after 65 recovered.
So far, Buenavista has no resident who died due to COVID-19.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.
Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.
Most people (about 80 percent) recover from the disease without needing special treatment, according to the World Health Organization.
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness./PN
