Social Distancing as a Recontextualization of Filipino Values and Catholic Religious Practices: A Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This paper investigates Catholic religious practices and Filipino values in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to show that religious practices conducted with proper social distancing help in the development of a renewed understanding of Filipino values without contributing to the spread of the virus. This qualitative study makes use of expository writing and content analysis. First, religious practices before the pandemic marked by maximum social interaction are presented. Then, the paper shows religious practices during the pandemic marked by social distancing. Thirdly, the paper looks into how Filipino values are recontextualized in relation to religious practices despite the need for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, the researchers claim that those who participate in religious practices with social distancing do not contribute to the transmission of the virus while still developing a renewed understanding of Filipino values.

Wounded healers: a call for spiritual care towards healthcare professionals in time of COVID-19 pandemic.

In recent correspondences and articles published, the role of religious and spiritual interventions has been discussed for the attention of the medical community in the time of COVID-19 pandemic and part of these interventions is to provide spiritual care. Attention has been given to provide spiritual care among COVID-19 patients. However, there is also a dire need to offer spiritual care towards healthcare professionals because they, too, are 'wounded healers'. This paper discusses the urgent call for the medical and spiritual communities to come up with comprehensive spiritual care programme for healthcare professionals so that they may attain spiritual well-being as they serve in the frontlines, risking their lives and providing spiritual care to patients especially in this trying times of the pandemic as a public health crisis.

From leisure to isolation: a call to explore hotel sectors' role during COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent correspondence, authors discussed the role of private companies in fulfilling their corporate social responsibility (CSR) by coming up with their own vaccination program for their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper supports the invitation for companies to act in accordance with their CSR and by emphasizing the various roles of companies just like what selected hotels do as isolation and quarantine facilities during the pandemic. However, certain considerations and issues must also be addressed by hotel sectors in accomplishing their CSR especially in time of public health crisis.

Business sectors' initiatives on health and safety protocols and vaccination program among employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent correspondence, the author discussed the issues of 'no-jab, no job' policy, which is planned to be implemented by governments and companies in many countries. This paper highlights the business sectors' initiatives in ensuring the implementation of health and safety protocols and vaccination program among employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shaping public opinion through the lens of agenda setting in rolling out COVID-19 vaccination program.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination hesitancy is a concern that the world faces. The government and private sectors are initiating measures to address this problem. Media plays a crucial role in information and extensive dissemination. This paper highlights the role of the agenda setting platform in shaping public opinion on COVID-19 vaccination program. Massive information dissemination through media can be an effective tool in educating the public regarding the efficacy of anti-COVID 19 vaccines both for self-preservation and promotion of the common good.

No indigenous peoples left behind on the rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines: considerations and predicaments.

In recent correspondences, authors emphasized the need to consider vulnerable groups such as migrants, refugees, prisoners, and persons with disabilities in the interventions and plans of government and health authorities in combatting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This paper discusses the urgent call for government and health authorities to ensure that indigenous peoples, being distinct ethnic communities, are included in the rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines with considerations to their unique culture, beliefs and traditions.

Face-to-face classes during COVID-19: a call for deliberate and well-planned school health protocols in the Philippine context.

Schooling is one of the most affected aspects of human life due to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In a recent correspondence published, the authors reminded every country of their responsibility to come up with strategies to reopen schools safely. This paper reiterates the adherence of school health protocols as significant in the delivery of face-to-face classes following national and international guidelines in mitigating the effects of COVID-19 pandemic as a public health crisis.

Distressing healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: the challenges of holiday season in the Philippines.

The holiday season, Christmas to New Year, is the most festive period of each year in the Philippines. However, the beginning of the festive holiday season in the Philippines seems to be a predicament to healthcare workers and professionals especially during this coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The holiday season is considered a health risk in the Philippines because of the change of lifestyle leading to the increased number of health consultancies and hospitalization. Thus, the expected surge of people in the hospitals and clinics pose an added stress to healthcare workers and professionals. Pre-Holiday policies and programs are therefore essentials especially during the course of battling COVID-19.

Building public trust: a response to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy predicament.

With the rollout of vaccines against COVID-19, an optimistic and a negative attitude among people have arisen. Surprisingly, surveys among people reveal that there is a significant rate of distrust against the vaccines. In a recent short report published in this journal, vaccine hesitancy was found out among medical students. Hence, wide array of research has been springing, recommending various approaches in assisting authorities deal with vaccine hesitancy such as proper and effective strategic communication as a solution. This study suggests however that a more 'localized' public education and role-modelling from public officials and health authorities can help a lot in building public trust. The study aims to contribute to the further development of public health mechanisms in the rolling-out and distribution of vaccines against COVID-19.

Culture as a contributory factor in combatting the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a recent correspondence, the racial disparity was discussed regarding knowledge, attitudes and practices related to COVID-19. This paper highlights culture as a contributory factor in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic that is to be considered by each government around the world.

Anticipatory grieving and loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent correspondence shows that death and burial practices deem significant in understanding the meaning and acceptance of the untimely and unexpected death of a family member afflicted with the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease. These, in turn, raise the need to address the anticipatory grieving process of the family. This paper examines the importance of anticipatory grieving that ultimately affects the lives of the family of the bereaved.

The truth must prevail: citizens' rights to know the truth during the era of COVID-19.

In a recent short report, the necessity of sophisticated practices in gathering records that would facilitate data sharing yields data-driven analysis in time of COVID-19. Consequently, there is a need to present the truth in data analytics in the era of COVID-19. This paper discusses the urgent call for people handling the COVID-19 data to be ethically responsible in their handling, processing, and reporting that impacts the lives of ordinary people especially in this time of pandemic as public health crisis.

Changing landscapes of death and burial practices: public health response in time of COVID-19 pandemic.

In a recent correspondence published in this journal, the author calls for spiritual interventions for the living and the dead that be considered by the medical community especially in the time of COVID-19. This paper further elaborates on the need to consider the death and burial practices of bereaved families of patients who died of COVID-19 with strict observance of health protocols. Death and burial practices are significant moments in finding meaning for bereaved families in accepting the demise of their loved ones during this pandemic.