The world is finally waking up to normalcy

As the end of 2021 comes closer and as we near the two-year mark since the pandemic started, we are seeing encouraging indicators that the world is starting to wake up to some form of “normalcy.”

The United States for instance has opened its doors last Nov. 8 as it lifted a travel ban imposed on 33 nations that included the United Kingdom, the European Union, South Africa, China and Brazil. Fully vaccinated visitors from previously banned countries can now enter the US, with thousands seen arriving at airports such as the JFK in New York.

US land borders to Canada and Mexico have also been opened, with leisure travelers allowed to cross by land or water. Airline companies reported a surge in bookings from the time the lifting of restrictions was first announced, with shares of several airline companies also rising.

Many countries have since opened their doors to foreign visitors, among them France, Italy, Spain, Finland, Germany, Israel and many others – subject to certain conditions of course, primary of which is that travelers should have been fully vaccinated and must show a negative COVID-19 test result within three days of arrival. With the holiday season just around the corner, travel is coming back to life with people in many parts of the world raring to go on “revenge travel” after being virtually locked up at home for almost two years.

We discussed with Presidential Adviser Joey Concepcion about a large number of Filipino-Americans wanting to go back to the Philippines, and asking that quarantine restrictions be shortened – if not lifted – for those who have been fully vaccinated, with a negative COVID-19 test within three days from arrival.

During our meeting, we introduced Concentric by Ginkgo Bioworks – a Boston-based company headed by our friend, former White House Deputy National Security adviser Matt Pottinger – whose technology is being used at the JFK International Airport and the San Francisco International Airport for “pooled testing” or bulk testing of passengers with near-real-time detection of new COVID-19 variants, in conjunction with the US CDC.

We are working to set up a pilot project with Concentric and Joey Concepcion as well as Transportation Secretary Art Tugade and Philippine Airlines for the possibility of conducting a test of the technology to speed up the reopening of our borders. With real-time COVID-19 test results, quarantines could be lifted for passengers who test negative and have also been fully vaccinated.

Everywhere in the world, the COVID-19 vaccines have accelerated the move towards normalcy – which is why the government is not letting up on efforts to vaccinate 70 percent of the Filipino population within the year. To date, over 31 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated while more than 37 million have received their first dose against COVID-19 – with a total of 66 million vaccine doses administered. Last Thursday, the country also recorded the highest number of inoculations at 1.2 million.

Secretary Charlie Galvez also bared a plan to vaccinate at least 15 million Filipinos including minors over a 3-day period from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, with covered courts in universities and colleges as well as gyms and arenas to be converted into vaccination centers.

We’re pleased to see that the number of cases continues to decline, with many places including Metro Manila now placed under a more relaxed Alert Level 2 status. More businesses aside from restaurants and dining places are now allowed to open, such as cinemas and event places but not yet on full capacity and still adhering to minimum health standards such as masking and distancing.

Hospital occupancy rates are beginning to show a downtrend, and the situation could get even better with the anti-COVID-19 pills that could be taken at home, such as the one developed by Pfizer, with clinical trials showing that it is 89 percent effective in lowering the risk of hospitalization in high-risk cases. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla says the pills have “the potential to save patients’ lives, reduce the severity of COVID-19 infections and eliminate up to nine out of 10 hospitalizations.”

The country’s third quarter GDP has also been encouraging with 7.1 percent growth year-on-year. As Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Chua said, “We are clearly on track to a strong recovery” as long as there is no unexpected new risk like a stronger variant or a global surge. Businessmen such as Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport) chairman George Barcelon consider the third quarter performance as positive, and are upbeat that this will carry through all the way to next year.

Economists have also upgraded their economic outlook on the Philippines this year and in 2022, such as Goldman Sachs that has a 4-5 percent growth projection for 2021, the same as Secretary Chua’s target. Some are even projecting above 5.5 percent growth, with the easing of restrictions seen to boost economic activity, especially during the holidays. With Christmas just around the corner, many are hopeful that their celebration this year will be as close to “normal” as possible.

I know many of us have friends and relatives who did not make it during this pandemic, but for those of us who survived this pandemic, we can only count our blessings and thank God for His continued protection. This may sound like a motherhood statement, but in reality this pandemic has undoubtedly given us the realization of the things that are truly important: family, love for country and, in no uncertain terms, gratitude for the gift of life.

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