Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Editor's Picks

Gay under COVID-19 monitoring

Stephen Christian Quilacio from Cagayan de Oro City is a gay person under COVID-19 monitoring. This means that sans testing, he had to isolate for 21 days. He is still anxious, but he says: “You just have to cooperate and follow protocols.”

Last Monday, after a 15-day quarantine from his travel from Cebu City, Stephen Christian Quilacio from Cagayan de Oro City “noticed I have most of the COVID-19 symptoms,” he said. He has on-off fever from the night of Monday until the next day, shortness of breath but no cough, and muscle pain. And so on Tuesday, “I decided to go to the hospital.”

During the triage/screening process, he recalled being asked questions; and eventually, “most of the symptoms for COVID-19 were found on me.”

And so, sans COVID-19 testing because of continuing issues for the same (e.g. procurement issues of the Department of Health/DOH, and – basically – not prioritizing mass testing right now even if VIP testing has been repeatedly reported), the doctor informed Stephen “that I am considered PUM: person under monitoring. I have to (isolate myself) for 21 days.”

Looking back, even if this happened only a few days ago, “when I had fever, I got scared,” Stephen said.

While under quarantine, Stephen spends his days… admittedly lazily. Her reads, connects with friends on social media, sleep and eat (“My parents and my cousins just deliver food”).

If he needs to go out at all (e.g. shower), the family members go inside their separate rooms.

“We also make sure that we sanitize everything,” Stephen said.

Looking back, even if this happened only a few days ago, “when I had fever, I got scared,” Stephen said. “I panicked because I have a history of asthma and tuberculosis, and I’m also immunocompromised. I really have to be very careful (in heeding) what the doctor is telling me.”

COVID-19 still has no cure. Stephen is taking, among others, antibiotics (for seven days).

“After the medication, I will be staying in isolation until the end of the quarantine period,” he said.

Even now, “no one told me yet what I need to do after the quarantine,” Stephen said. But he hopes that the enhanced community quarantine, as a whole, will soon end; and when it does, that “everything will be okay.”

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
While under quarantine, Stephen spends his days… admittedly lazily. Her reads, connects with friends on social media, sleep and eat (“My parents and my cousins just deliver food”).

Now, “my advise to people is: If you think you have the symptoms for COVID-19, you really have to get yourself checked,” Stephen said.

The contact details of the appropriate health facilities vary per locality, obviously; but these should be “on social media or you can ask your family members,” Stephen said.

And when visiting health professionals, “you have to be very honest, especially if you have travel history. That’s very important because you don’t know if you’ve been exposed while at the airport or while traveling.”

As an additional tip, Stephen said people should “be vigilant with what’s happening in your barangay.” In his case, “our barangay is in the top three places with COVID-19 cases here. This is also why I got scared.”

And due to the much-criticized response of the DOH, Stephen said people are really not left with a lot of choice but “to cooperate; and just follow protocols.”

Now, “my advise to people is: If you think you have the symptoms for COVID-19, you really have to get yourself checked,” Stephen said.

The founder of Outrage Magazine, Michael David dela Cruz Tan completed BA Communication Studies from University of Newcastle in NSW, Australia; and Master of Development Communication from the University of the Philippines-Open University. Conversant in Filipino Sign Language, Mick can: photograph, do artworks with mixed media, write (DUH!), shoot flicks, community organize, facilitate, lecture, and research (with pioneering studies under his belt). He authored "Being LGBT in Asia: Philippines Country Report", and "Red Lives" that creatively retells stories from the local HIV community. Among others, Mick received the Catholic Mass Media Awards in 2006 for Best Investigative Journalism, and Art that Matters - Literature from Amnesty Int'l Philippines in 2020. Cross his path is the dare (guarantee: It won't be boring).

Advertisement
Advertisement

Like Us On Facebook

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

From the Editor

A big change in HIV response in the Philippines: HIV reporting now happens every quarter, as opposed to monthly. So if the responses to...

POZ

COVID-19 was associated with a 30% increased risk of major CVE in PWH during the subsequent year. This suggests that COVID-19 should be considered...

#KaraniwangLGBT

Meet Erolyn Francisco, president of the local #LGBTQIA organization in #Mampang, #ZamboangaCity, who wants to help change the way people view #transgender Filipinos. "People...

POZ

The COVID-19 pandemic slowed previous gains made in controlling HIV blood levels and worsened health disparities. This is even if the world had been...

Advertisement