The Covid 19 Pandemic on Stamps

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March 2023 marks the second year anniversary of the first postage stamp about the pandemic ever to be released. 

Twenty one countries and the UN have between them released 68 postage stamps to mark the sacrifice of healthcare workers and patients during the covid-19 pandemic. Three of our esteemed colleagues and beloved mentors, Dr. Dennis Ramon Tudtud and wife Dr. Helen and my IM-pulmonologist mentor Dr. Ruben Escarda sacrificed their lives in the frontlines of the war against the vicious viral adversary. We honor you our beloved fallen heroes- your sacrifices were not in vain.

 
In the research led by Bertrand Lefrère of the Public Assistance Hospital of Paris, it was found that Iran was first country to post a design on March 2020 (pictured), but the rest of the world followed with stamps depicting healthcare workers, patients, and covid safe behaviours such as social distancing in French Polynesia.

In the Philippines, PHLPost has printed 80,000 pieces of stamps in eight illustrated color designs featuring ordinary people who are considered heroes in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)

The “Keep the Faith, Be a Hero, Get your Dose, Fight Coronavirus” is the first postage stamp series issued by a postal administration to encourage and promote vaccination against the coronavirus.

 


The pandemic may have caused death and devastation amongst us but it also healed our dying planet and rattled our mundane human spirit. The loneliness and isolaton, made us better appreciate God's creations- the flora, many became plantitas, and - the fauna, our love for animals, which alleviated our suffering during our moments of bitter solitude intensified. My love and appreciation for my cats and pet turtles quickened. 

Because there was hardly any work, I was able to study my other interests- in art and crafts, chess, literature, languages, economics, history, genealogy and more. I even learned about crypto, NFT's, blockchain and mining, finished some medical and non-medical online courses via Coursera, and gained understanding about cooking- making my own salad and dressings (fave is Balsamic vinegar with raw organic honey blended with special spices and shallots), tahini (sesame seeds and farm produced olive oil and mayonnaise using organic eggs, powdered mustard to avoid the concoction being runny, avocado oil etc. . 

My erudition in the culinary art  was a consequence of my self imposed isolation in a unit (not to mention their guaranteed 24 electricity service, good amenities, continuous water supply from the pool, which was very helpful during Odette) for fear of infecting my family. Odette transplanted us to a church where we attend until the present; I feel the Holy Spirit moving within and inside this house of worship.

My priorities and objectives in life were refocused and redirected. That experience can never be repeated. This unintended "shift" in life direction could never have happened without the Pandemic.

Air pollution also decreased due to lowered carbon emissions from stoppage of cars and air travel and beautiful new and exciting species sprang out.  Socially responsible businesses were created in response to the medical and supply needs that remained unmet and unaddressed due to surge of demand and inability of hospitals to pay their creditors. 

Curtailed passions for art and travel came back with a vengeance when the pandemic was over.

Prayers were doubly intensified due to uncertainty of life and the unremitting possibility of imminent death. The pandemic was God's purging; it was a cleansing for us and our planet. It taught us that He is able to allow catastrophe and produce desirable things out of them.

So let's take good care of our planet and it will love us back. Abuse it and it will punish us as it did before. 

Hoping and praying this will be the last pandemic of planet Earth. 🙏

"Don't you worry, after they admire My creations, they'll admire yours", (YWH)




Artist's Struggles during Pandemic 2020 Series (1-4), acrylic on canvas
Cesar  Cabase Castillo

God sees the devastation of the world as an opportunity to save. Seize that opportunity with Him.


 

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