Thursday, April 15, 2021

April 2021: No One Sinned

 Covid reinfection is real. 

The story of the blind man Jesus healed in the Pool of Siloam is a too often narrative of victim blaming. The disciples asked who sinned, the blind man or his parents. Even Jesus was accused of being unlawful when what he did was to heal the sick. The constant narrative in the interventions about Covid infection is lack of discipline (in observing safety protocols of wearing mask, shield and social distancing). With this narrative, the solution is discipline - strict implementation of the law, by law enforcers. To be sure, discipline is necessary. But public health emergencies need public health interventions too. Otherwise, those infected are stigmatized as undisciplined unlawful people. What a pity to the many health workers who sacrificed their own health, safety and their lives yet still gets the blame when they get infected. 

No one has to be blamed for their own illness. Just as getting sick should not mean committing sin. The stigma and discrimination that comes with illness has been too long a narrative even in the Bible. The HIV epidemic has stigmatized and discriminated people living with HIV. Also those with Covid-19 has been labeled as disobeying safety protocols. Yet, Covid infection and reinfection can still happen without fault by anyone. 



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