Several weeks ago, I rushed to a drugstore to get myself a couple of masks, just in case. While on queue to purchase this “just in case kit”, I was a not so proud recipient of some weird looks. I swear! They looked at me like I was a freak. After a few minutes of waiting for my turn, the cashier probably could no longer contain herself, bravely asked me – “Ma’am, may swine flu po ba kayo?” Suddenly, everything made sense. The looks. The whisper. Now, I get it. Everyone in that drugstore thought I was infected by this influenza A virus. The hell?!
I smiled back at her and politely replied that thankfully, I don’t have the virus. I was just being a happy paranoid. After saying that, she smiled and shed out a sound of relief – obviously expressing how relieved she was after knowing that I wasn’t infected.
Oh well.
What scares me more about this virus is that – we seem to be taking it very lightly. I don’t know about you but I have seen a number of people cough up without covering their mouths and a couple times, I saw people spitting wherever they felt like spitting! How gross is that?!
Please don’t get me wrong. I am not trying to paint myself as some uber sensitive brat nor am I trying to demean other people; I am just trying to point that in these times when such a virus is spreading and infecting so many countries like anything, it pays to be VERY hygienic.
It does not cost anyone much to wash his or her hands often. It does not take much effort to cover one’s mouth when s/he has to sneeze or cough up. And seriously, why some people have to spit anywhere, whenever they had the urge to do so?
So I dare you, help stop spreading the virus.
Watch your hygiene, please?
