- When the Prime Minister solemnly sought few weeks of our time last year extolling about the dangers surrounding the pandemic for its severity, lack of information, and asking us to stay indoors before declaring national lockdown was met with stunned silence and resigned acceptance. As sordid visuals from hospitals abroad bore a depressingly uncertain future staring at humankind, it was crystal clear the unknown entity is bound to wreak havoc on many countries. So did Indians when the Prime Minister spoke first time on the matter.
PC: Krystle Holleman
- Whatever the Prime Minister asked the citizens to follow right from Janata Curfew, banging of utensils, clapping, lighting of lamps, and of course diligently observing safety and health standards were accepted and observed with utmost diligence. Yes, the wearing of a mask became an inalienable part of our lives as also maintaining social distancing wherever possible alongside a frequent hand wash regime. What followed vis-à-vis by harping on the fallout of lockdowns on the economy, lives, and livelihood of the ordinary citizens will only exacerbate the sufferings and hardships encountered by the millions.
- Suffice to say that the nation is still crawling along recuperating from the damages suffered and fervently hoping days of normalcy return sooner than later. What seemed to be grave and ominous for few weeks after the peak of the first Covid wave was successfully curbed thereby limiting the damages on the lives and livelihood which was duly appreciated by the world community. While we were basking in the applause forthcoming from several quarters, complacency did seep in as people started conveniently ignoring the lurking dangers.
PC: Juhi Kumari
- The introduction of vaccines as a formidable shield to fight the virus also contributed to all of us feeling relieved and setting about our routine chores with nary a scare. But the virus had different ideas as the country is witnessing a steep surge in confirmed infection rates reaching alarming numbers by the day. Holding elections and Melas by allowing lakhs of humanity to congregate without adherence to health and safety guidelines had bad consequences written all over it, and it indeed has become superspreader events as highly infectious variants nonchalantly goes about infecting whosoever coming along the way.
- Already, depressing signs of hospitals getting overwhelmed by the high number of infected people are being reported from many cities. Lack of oxygen supplies and scarce availability of ventilators is playing out again taking back to those dreaded days of last year. Reports of non-availability of life-saving drugs and steroids to save the severely infected people are only adding to the already muddied waters showcasing our poor healthcare infrastructure. The enormity of the gravest situation staring at us will unfold perilously in the coming days.
- The moot point to ponder over here is are we as a nation are adequately prepared to face the deluge of confirmed infection cases in the coming days? Indications available frighteningly provide a big no as an answer. The authorities concerned have not learned from the previous experiences thereby repeating the mistakes that were so fatally exposed when precious lives were lost owing to lack of preparedness and urgency. The authorities have to pull up socks and ensure there is no dearth of healthcare infrastructure.
