‘If you have to leave home. . .’ Sports stars remind people to keep safe

As more and more people begin sliding out of their homes in the midst of a still-raging pandemic, they were given a few reminders from sports personalities about the importance of quarantine rules.

“It’s important to keep ourselves and our family safe and healthy,” said Barangay Ginebra veteran Jeff Chan. “We still have to follow quarantine rules.”

“The fight against COVID-19 isn’t over yet,” volleyball star Ara Galang said. “Let’s be vigilant.”

“Let’s help in making things go back to normal,” the former La Salle standout added.

There is a sure way to help curb the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic: Stay at home. But as was made clear by the rush of people that hit the streets when the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) was imposed, it is becoming a financial, logistical and even psychological burden to stay cooped up.

The solution: Leave the house only when necessary and when you do, stay protected.

“Whether its GCQ (general community quarantine) or MECQ, as long as there’s a community quarantine at the end of it and there’s no vaccine … I think we should continue to stay home and only go out for essentials,” said playmaker Alex Cabagnot of reigning five-time all-Filipino champions San Miguel Beer.

Protection is vital to curb the spread of the disease, most especially since some carriers of the virus do not manifest any signs.

“Let’s not be overconfident,” said University of Santo Tomas (UST) spearhead Eya Laure. “Let’s not forget that the virus is still there, and some people who have it are asymptomatic. So you don’t know who can contaminate you.

“If we have to go out because of work or to buy our essentials let’s remember to wear a mask and practice social distancing.”

Asymptomatic carriers is what makes the contagion even more insidious, but proper health habits can kill the virus.

“Wash your hands, use sanitizer or alcohol and shower immediately when you get home,” ex-UST star Sisi Rondina added. “If you go out, wear a mask and do social distancing.”

“If we end up spreading the virus more [because of carelessness], then we would put to waste the previous months that we were locked down,” the fiery Rondina added.