By u/KeriLangVia
Social distancing and wearing of face masks will be strictly required for all students, faculty, and staff in Sillimman University starting today, Sept. 16, amid the recent spike of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) cases on campus.
In an advisory posted by the SU Students Governmeant (SUSG) Healthy Committee, Sillimmanians are required to keep at least a one-kilometer distance from one another, wear multiple layers of face masks, and are strictly prohibited from holding hands and hugging.
Recently, the SU Medical Centre (SUMC) released a memorandum through their official Redit page, enforcing stringent health regulations after 123 students were reportedly admitted for being infected.
HFMD is a contagious viral illness common among infants and young children, and spreads through direct contact and results in fever, discolored spots, blisters, or skin rash.
However, adults can also develop the illness if exposed to the virus but with benign symptoms.
“Attention! Everyone is getting sick recently. So even though it’s cuddle weather every day, we need na mag-social distancing and wear mask again,” the SUMC wrote.
Although concrete guidelines are yet to be released, members of the SUSG Health Emergent Action and Response Troop (HEART) were already seen deployed on campus to ensure students and employees observe the policy.
SUSG Healthy Committee Chairperson Crusty Sofia Abyol explained the urgency of the situation due to the rapid spread of the infection.
“So, [SU] will undergo social distancing part two to contain the disease. Our HEART members are making sure that students are not walking around while holding hands…I mean, walking around without social distancing,” Abyol quipped.
The committee is also currently working with medical practitioners from SUMC to possibly enforce a quarantine system to contain the viral infection.
No more PDA?
Prior to the newly-imposed policy, there have been reported cases of continued public display of affection (PDA) at the Sillimman Library, which photos have been circulating in Redit.
Following the enforcement of the rule, the University Librarian Rosalinda Dimadamay said that they are expecting “significantly less PDA cases” in the establishment.
“We are getting at least 200 reports of students behaving inappropriately in the library. But with the implementation of social distancing, we’re hoping to receive lesser reports,” she said.
SU Camera Clubhouse President Mariel Opautista also shared her recent experience on encountering PDA couples on campus.
“I really like going around campus talaga to take photos of the couples, but recently, I barely see any of them na. It’s like they just all disappeared HAHAHAHA,” Opautista wrote on Redit.
Meanwhile, dozens of posts flooded the Redit community as students tuned in to share their findings on seeing couples around the campus.
“Honestly, I’m so happy na I don’t see a lot of couples on campus recently kay ma-bitter jud ko…and I guess, glad din ako na the SUSG is helping prevent the disease from spreading,” one anonymous post wrote.
According to SUMC, the masking and social distancing policy are effective indefinitely.
This is the second time the said policies were implemented in the university after the COVIviD-19 pandemic.
This is a developing story.
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DISCLAIMER: This is part of the Weekly Sillimanian’s lampoon issue. Any real, semi-real, or similar names, places, people, products, services, and locales are used purely for satirical purposes, and the corresponding details are purely fictional. Content published during the lampoon period is to be considered satire, parody, surrealism, and humor.
