Surviving the COVID-19 outbreak in the global education hub of Davao city
Every city in the world is striving hard to establish an effective lockdown and enforce strict social distancing measures in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. College students all around the world are facing a lot of confusion in terms of progressing with their studies. Especially for medical students, lockdowns and quarantines have taken a major the toll on their academic work, as they are deprived of various resources and are working on their own for now. Even though it will have its implications later on, it’s extremely crucial for every student to respect the quarantine measures enforced by their local governments, and do as much as they can while at home or at a hostel facility. Strict measures in place for Davao city Respecting the worldwide measures for social distancing and sanitation, Davao city in the Philippines has joined the list of cities enforcing full-fledged isolation and hygiene measures. Being one of the biggest hubs for international medical studies and one of the top choices for studying MBBS in foreign countries, Davao city population comprises the majority of students coming from a variety of backgrounds, most of them being Indian nationals. To maintain the utmost safety for all local and foreign students, Davao city officials are ordering temporary quarantines in various districts along with extensive sanitation drives throughout the city. Apart from that, all places of public gatherings like malls, cinema houses, and gaming arenas have been shut down. All essential services like pharmacies, grocery stores, and convenience stores are open for the public. The public transport in Davao city has not been halted so that students can travel and buy essential items for themselves. All major universities, like the Davao medical school, have advised students to stay at home or in their designated living facility until further notice. Here is a brief list of all the latest measures being taken in Davao City; 1. Complete closure of public places- Mall, movie theaters, gaming arenas, and leisure complexes have been shut down. 2. All travel suspended- All domestic air, land and sea travel, Inbound and outbound to Davao city region has been suspended. 3. Public transport services are plying: Only government-operated public transport will continue to operate in order to help students move around the city. Although, regular vehicle movement has been reduced and is being monitored. 4. Dedicated task forces have been set up in various areas of healthcare, to help people get quick access to various resources and facilities. 5. Essential services are open: The government has ensured that all essential services remain open and have enough stock to provide everyone with basic supplies. Being a popular destination for studying MBBS abroad, Davao city will continue to enforce stricter measures and do whatever is needed to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents, as the pandemic grows. For now, staying at home and maintaining social distance is our greatest defense against the COVID-19 outbreak. Staying positive in negative times: Even though students cannot use university facilities to progress with their studies, there is always something productive that medical students can do during their quarantined times. Apart from the regular studies, students can pick up on a variety of skill-developing activities that can be done with limited resources (computer and Wi-Fi), that will eventually, help them in their career. It’s all about staying positive and doing something productive with the time at hand, no matter how big or small it is. Here are some ways to stay productive during your quarantine time; 1. Assignments: You can start working on various small assignments which does not require extensive prep work or research, and send them to your professors over an email for review. Their feedback can help you evolve in areas of your interest as well as, optimize your academic strategy. Professors from many leading universities, such as the Davao medical universityPhilippines, are encouraging online discussions with students. 2. Pick up on your reading: This is a great time to explore new topics and areas in your field of study, that excites you. You can look up various books or resource materials like whitepapers, on medical topics that are currently trending or are in development. 3. Coronavirus research: Being a medical student, one of the most fun things you can do is study the COVID-19. As the coronavirus research propels in various countries, many health organizations are releasing all kinds of detailed information about the virus and its interaction with the human body. This is a great way to stay occupied and stay updated on the latest. Establish a dialogue: With online being the only mode of communication available, you can use various chatrooms and conference platforms to host regular discussions on topics of your interest, with people in your social circle or in your batch. This is a great way to establish a dialogue amongst your peers and open up avenues for future collaborations.