[OPINION] Statistics are not just numbers, but people

Like most of you, I cannot step outside of the house. Aside from the need to stay at home, of course, I am not the one in the family with the quarantine pass. You see, I live with 14 relatives, and it’s my aunt who does the weekly groceries, buys medicine, and withdraws money – basically all the necessary activities outside of the house.  

At home, another aunt prepares our meals. My brother and most of my cousins keep the house spotless. So no, I don’t do the cooking. I don’t do the cleaning. In my defense, I have to be online from 9 in the morning to 6 in the evening for work, from Mondays through Saturdays. Wanting to contribute something and to lessen the guilt, of course, I took the liberty of being the family informant. 

Stick to the facts 

Every 4 pm, I take a quick break from work to visit the Facebook page of the Department of Health and wait for their live updates on the number of COVID-19 positive cases, deaths, and recoveries. Then, I take a screenshot of the summary and send it to my relatives.  

Since my intention is to inform, I present my relatives with just the facts. I refrain from commenting on the statistics. I leave it to my relatives to react and give their opinion. Usually a minute or two after sending, which validates my contribution since I feel like they are really waiting for my updates, they respond with gratitude, followed by their reactions.  

Facts of life

“Wow! There are fewer positive cases today compared to yesterday!” and “That’s good news, Firas! The number of recoveries are more than the number of deaths!” are two of the most common reactions. During our daily family prayer at nighttime, some of my relatives would reiterate their reactions, thanking the Lord for the good news.  

Now, while I admire how my family focuses on the good side, I cannot help but feel uneasy sometimes when they take too much comfort in it. I ask myself, how can the presence of death be considered good news? How can they easily overlook the deaths because of the recoveries? 

We Filipinos are known for our resilience. We have the ability to find reasons to smile amid tragedies and disasters. We always look on the bright side. However, what about those who are directly affected – in this case, those who have the virus and their relatives? Can we tell them to look on the bright side?

Fact of the matter is

Of course, we try to be optimistic in order to cope, especially at a time like this. Unfortunately, whether big or small, the numbers are rising. They are continuing to rise every single day. And I know it is easy to celebrate when there are more survivors than fatalities, but what that does is reduce the fatalities to mere numbers. (READ: Mathematician refutes DOH claim of ‘flattening’ coronavirus curve)

The problem with seeing numbers as numbers is dehumanization. We sometimes tend to forget that the statistics we are currently dealing with is all about people. Even though we think the statistics do not directly concern us, we have to remember that they are people too. The number of fatalities represents a number of mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters and brothers.  

I must confess. I am guilty of this myself. When I was still reporting to work in our office in Pasay back in March, which feels like a long time ago already, I remember feeling a sense of security because of the numbers. We had 3 cases then, and I took comfort in the fact that there were zero Filipinos with the virus. When that zero became one, when we suddenly had a local case, that is when I started to really worry about the situation.  

They say you won’t really know how it is until it happens to you or to someone you love. Let’s not wait for that to happen. Let’s not wait until it’s too late. We don’t always have to learn through the hardest way. This is why we should all do our part and contribute in the best way we can. If, like me, you are feeling guilty about just staying inside the house, please know that it is a contribution in itself. If you think it is not enough, be your family’s informant, be their gentle reminder.  

At the end of the day, I know that we are just being hopeful. We cling on to the light, hoping that it will take us to the end of the tunnel. After all, there’s nothing wrong with looking at the bright side of things. Let’s just make sure we don’t overlook the other side. 

I cannot wait for the time when the number of recoveries is the only number that rises. When that day comes, let’s all step outside of our houses and greet each other with big smiles on our faces. – Rappler.com

Firas Abboud is a writer, editor, and college instructor. He believes in the transformative power of reading books and keeping a notebook.