Continuously Increasing Coronavirus Cases and A Sad Holiday Season for Foreign Workers

As we are experiencing the cold weather right now, the daily record cases of Coronavirus in Japan is continuously increasing too. According to nippon.com, 2 days ago there were 2,058 new cases across Japan, including 418 in Tokyo, marking the highest daily total it has ever reported on a Sunday. Also, the number of severe cases across Japan climbs by 22 to 262.

The government is continuously implementing new countermeasures to prevent further spread of the Coronavirus and encouraging it’s citizens to be extra careful. However, since Covid-19 started to spread again in Japan, a government panel of experts are requesting for a review of the Go To campaigns, such as not including areas with high records of infections. Even shops are asked to shorten their business hours and advising everyone to refrain from unnecessary trips. Unfortunately, I guess the holiday season here in Japan this year would not be as normal and enjoyable compared to usual holiday season on the previous years.

On the other hand, this season might be one of the saddest Christmas and New Year celebration for Overseas Filipino Workers and even to all other foreigners who cannot go back to their home country yet.

Normally, this is the time where foreign workers go back to their own country to celebrate Christmas and New Year together with their families. Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, most OFWs do not have other choice but to temporarily hold their plans on going back home in the Philippines. Considering the pros and cons if they return to the Philippines for the holiday, the current situation gives them a lot of disadvantages if they choose to go home for the holiday.

The hassle that they are about to face if they choose to go home is a no joke. The PCR Tests, the long quarantine period they have to complete, flights are not yet back to normal, expensive tickets etc. and for non-OFW Filipinos, they have to shoulder the fee for PCR test. Others are claiming that the Test fee is quite expensive too!

Furthermore, other Filipino workers abroad are asked by their employers to refrain from traveling to the Philippines for the meantime due to the pandemic . While some could not take risk of going home even if its allowed because there might be a possibility that the boarders of  some countries might be closed again if the pandemic situation worsens.

To sum up, we still do not know when this pandemic will end but this is undeniably one of the worst part of our year 2020.  We should not let Coronavirus win this fight! Prevention is better than cure so let’s be responsible and do a part as a citizen to help our government fight this virus. Let’s be positive and don’t lose hope. Everything will be back to normal and soon we can reunite with our families once again.

Keep safe everyone!