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I painted hazel flowers for Hazel Dado, a fellow UP alumna who passed away due to COVID-19 the other day.
News about her passing deeply affected me although I met her only once, a few years back. I shed tears as I prayed for her and the family she left behind.
Hazel was the wife of Sean Luke Dado, friend and former schoolmate of my husband Riz.
Sean also contracted the COVID-19 virus, along with their daughters, including Dr. Arielle Dado, one of the doctors who called for a return to Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.
In a news segment on ABS CBN, Dr. Arielle mentioned that their entire family caught the COVID-19 virus. All of them had only mild symptoms, except for their mother Hazel.
Dr. Arielle related how she found it difficult to get treatment for their mother even though she was a doctor.
“We have to call for ECQ. I cannot just watch my colleagues die," Dr. Arielle said on ABS CBN. "Ang magagawa ng ECQ, people are saying the economy needs it. What economy now? Anong gagawin mo sa pera mo? We need quarantine to unload hospitals.”
Rest in peace, Hazel. Be comforted knowing that Sean is a good father and together with God, he will be watching over your family. We will remember you all in our prayers.
DOH to revisit 'overall gameplan'
The Department of Health (DOH) said it will raise the concerns of the medical community before the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
"We will revisit and include the inputs we have gathered in our overall gameplan. The DOH will develop this strategy in coordination with our government and non-government counterparts in the next seven days," the DOH said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
According to the DOH, there are nearly 5,000 new cases as of August 1, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to more than 98,000. The total number of active cases stands at 30,928 as of August 1.
Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Manila said it hears the call of the medical workers and are cancelling public Masses from August 3-14.