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First District Rally
Dr. Cheridine Oro-Josef, a Geriatric Medicine
Specialist and a Family Physician, began the
lecture with an update regarding the SARS
COV 2 virus, its’ mode of transmission, and
case-fatality rates. Worldwide, there were
already 22 million cases and more than 700
thousand deaths, which account for a 1-2%
case fatality rate. In the Philippines, the
numbers were also rising. Among those who
succumbed to the disease, 80-90% belong to
the older population, ages 50 and above. The
median age of those who have died was 51 yrs
old. She emphasized that within this age
group, there was 5x the global average case
fatality rate. She said that among the “Enjoy each moment, live mindfully.”
mitigation measures to decrease the
transmission of the virus were physical
distancing, engineering, and administrative
controls, as well as the proper use of personal
protective equipment such as masks and face
shields. The use of rapid antibody tests and
the RT-PCR swab test was discussed
extensively together with the progression and
stages of the disease.
The second part of the lecture focused on the
effects of the pandemic on mental health. Dr.
Josef said that at the onset, people would
experience high levels of anxiety and worry.
Some would be affected by long term anxiety
and depression. Those hospitalized for
COVID19 or those people who tested positive
for the virus yet asymptomatic and even
those who have been quarantined were at risk
for developing mental health problems.
Health care workers were not spared of these
mental health disorders. Dr. Josef further
explained the different kinds of stresses and
elaborated on the differences between anxiety
and depression.
Lastly, she gave tips on how to handle stress
and the need for physical and mental health.
She encouraged everyone to eat properly,
take immune system boosters like vitamins
and minerals; get regular rest, and keep a
routine. She asked everyone to allow
themselves to do something they enjoy each
day. She also mentioned that regular exercise
could help relieve some symptoms of
depression and stress. The highlight of her
lecture was the discussion on Mindfulness,
which is a relaxation technique developed as a
cognitive behavior therapy to address mental
health problems. She further elucidated that
the regular practice of Mindfulness meditations
may delay the onset of dementia and other
cognitive disorders.
Dr. Josef introduced a platform where Inner
Wheel Club members could get in touch with a
neurologist or psychiatrist. Mr. Jake Buniao,
project head of Lingap- Diwa, a mental health
program of Medichem, a division of United
Laboratories, Inc, explained how the company
could link a patient to a doctor by calling their
hotline. This program is available nationwide.
The participants asked a lot of questions after
the talk and commended the speakers for a
timely and relevant topic.
The host club, IWC Marikina, organized an
online game, “Guess the Place,” to the delight
of the participants who willingly joined by
encoding their guesses in the chatbox. Winners
received prizes. The Assistant District
Secretary Lorie Villame, also a Past President
of IWC Marikina, delivered the closing
remarks. A raffle game ensued. Prizes
included a set of hand and dishwashing soap,
GCash, and beautiful hand-painted bags
courtesy of the National President Pam de
Guzman and PDC Julie Malaya.
The rally ended with the participants
commenting on how they enjoyed the district
activity, albeit devoid of snacks and face-to-face
interaction. Everyone left with the take-home
point:
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