The municipality of Sadanga is declared under ‘new normal’ despite the cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) remain high in its neighboring towns especially in Bontoc, Mt. Province.

In a public advisory posted over Facebook, Sadanga Mayor Gabino Ganggangan said that the Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force (MIATF) of the town has promulgated a recalibrated or revised community response to Covid-19 declaring said municipality under new normal

The Sadanga MIATF in passing the community response noted that the “almost one year of living with fear and anxiety due to the COVID-19 Scare causing lockdowns and quarantines resulting to a lot of economic, cultural, and social dislocations to our “used to be normal lives”…”

Now the MIATF has “promulgated a new approach or community responses to this “new reality” of living with the virus amidst us.”

In promulgating the community approach, the MIATF took note of the following premises: that it has undergone all kinds of community quarantine but has not stopped or slowed down the spread of the virus; that there is no medicine to cure the disease and only a person’s immune system that could do it; the virus is “here to stay”; that high number, 95-98 percent, of all infected persons will eventually recover; that only two percent have died from the disease; and, cause of death is actually other pre-existing illnesses.

Under the new normal, Sadanga will not impose quarantines since this will “paralyze the economic, social, culture and other aspects of the whole community.”

Ganggangan’s advisory instead said that focus of response to the care and management of a person infected will be “according to the severity or health situation of the patient.”

It added: “we must allow the community to go on with their usual daily normal life activities.”

It said: “The 14 days mandatory quarantine for all PUM’s (persons under monitoring) and PUI’s (persons under investigation) and to isolate a patient does not help in healing the patient. On the contrary, this causes boredom, irritativeness, lonesome and all other negative feelings which leads to psychological and mental stress to the patient!”

It noted that: “The purpose of ‘lockdowns and isolation quarantine’ is supposedly to slow down the spread of the virus.”

It added that “This purpose can well be equally achieved with the basic health protocols (in caps) such as, wearing of face mask, faceshield, regular hand washing, and physical distancing!”

To battle the disease, the advisory said that each Sadanga resident must drink a warm water with lemon or calamansi every day to boost the immune system.

Meanwhile, those infected with Covid-19, or have common colds or flu are mandated to “do soob or inhalation of hot stream twice a day preferably in the morning and in the evening.”

People tested positive or have severe case “are to be isolated at home and to be given ‘focused’ attention / intervention by the health personnel in addition to their family care giving.”

It added that these patients must be provided with free vitamin C, medications on the other symptoms of comorbidities.

It also said that “Home care is best than going to hospitals where you cannot be given much attention to just the same.”

The advisory will now stop prohibitions, restrictions like lockdowns, 14 day quarantine, travel bans and other prohibitions as community response. It said that “These action are more damaging to our economic community life and are counter-productive.”

However, every Sadanga residents must observe the basic health protocols that “are good enough to slow down the spread of the disease.”

Ganggangan said that any person wanting to go out or enter the municipality does need any travel “regardless of the purpose of travel,…”

He added: “It is the responsibility of one who travels to know and comply to the requirements of his/her place of destination.”

People are not required to wear face mask or shield whenever alone in the workplace or elsewhere. He advised: “Breathe in fresh air as much as possible.”

The advisory directed all health personnel to come up with a master list of individuals who are to be considered as high risk or most vulnerable sectors such as persons with existing health problem or comorbidities and old senior citizens.

It said: “These high risk or most vulnerable sectors are to be closely monitored if and when they are infected and are to be assisted by our Health Personnel in boosting their immune system by providing free vitamins, advised to take in more citrus fruits and drink and other food substance that are helpful in boosting the immune system.”

The advisory also directed and authorized the barangays to utilize their BDRRM fund to purchase vitamin c and other immune boosting medicines, food supplements, fruits and other needed substances for their constituents.

It said: “Covid-19 is now a new reality in our world and is here to stay, so we have to accept and respect Covid-19 for what is and learn to live back our usual normal lives amidst this virus!”

It added: “Enough of the exaggerated fear and scare and set aside those exaggerated and restrictive responses.”

The advisory has more than 2,400 likes and netizens, even non Sadangans, have praised Ganggangan and the MIATF for its action.

One Arsenio Humiding wrote: “Yan ang pinuno. Mayat dayta manong ko. (That is the leader. That is kid my older brother) The action is just an act of looking at the realities of these times and telling our people the truth of what is to be done. In the end, it’s us, and us alone, who will get the cure for ourselves, our families, and our community. Mabuhay ka mayor Gab! (Long live mayor Gab).”

La Trinidad resident Alex Maday-a wrote: “That’s what other politicians will (should) do., not the ones who plant fear in people’s minds so as not to stress more.”

Baguio hotelier Melan Marquez wrote:Covid is real… But, it’s about time we take control and start a brave defense against this invisible enemy. Thank you mayor Gabino Ganggangan. This tops all public advisories on handling Covid-19.”