Future Of Us
India’s Covid Crisis
By- Riya Patel
Tragedy & Devastation
India, a country which is located in South Asia and has a rising population of 1.3 billion. Currently at this moment in time, India is having their second, most deadly wave of Covid-19. This life threatening disease is everywhere. There have been over 356,358 new cases of covid in the last week. Hospitals are so full to the point where they have run out of beds and oxygen. Regardless of being the world's largest producer of vaccines less than 2 % of the public has been fully vaccinated. As the number of cases increase everyday the more it spreads. With hundreds and thousands of cases everyday, India needs much more help to contain the outbreak. India’s Covid outbreak is immensely serious and needs to be brought to everyone's attention.
The People
It's surreal to think about what's happening in this given moment. It’s also horrifying to know that in Northern India bodies are being cremated in public places and families suggesting that they should bury their deceased relatives in their backyard. Or the fact that they’re running out of supplies and if you're in critical condition you might not be able to get help at all. Hospitals are turning away fatally ill patients and their relatives are uncontrollably searching for oxygen. People are being crammed into one hospital bed. Especially for the people living in poverty who can barely afford food. They have been breaking records day after day for the highest case count. Body bags are scattered everywhere. Delhi’s crematories have been cremating more than 600 bodies daily, with more and more piling up. Determining exact numbers during a pandemic is difficult as it is and with so many people dying at home and not in the hospital it’s even more harder. It's honestly heartbreaking to see such an event occur. I cannot even imagine the pain and fear every family is going through during this miserable time.
What is Modi doing about this?
People seem to be furious that Prime Minister Narandra Modi continued to hold huge election rallies and he refused to cancel a Hindu religious festival that drew millions of people to the Ganges River, despite appeal from health experts. Instead of making urgent preparations for a second wave. Many think Modi cares more about his image and the publicity than the actual situation itself. How he dealt with the situation now is completely different from how he did last year. In 2020 he ordered a strict nationwide lockdown, the world’s largest, with four hours notice at a time. Public health experts have said this slowed down the spread of the virus. The lockdown did cause a lot of economic privation. More than 100 million people lost their jobs. The lockdown slowed transmission of the virus and gave India time. India has sent more than 70 countries a total of more than 60 million vaccine doses. However PM Modi’s decision to prioritize the exporting of vaccines instead of vaccinating his own people was met with repercussions. Many are growing anger at the government’s “crime against humanity” and now people are paying with their lives.
Heartbreaking & Upsetting
This crisis affects more people than we realize. Every Indian knows someone who has been affected or someone who’s lost their life. This is one of the most tragic things that’s ever happened to India. The United States has sent over supplies and resources to help India, Joe Biden said it should be their Tuesday. But in this anguished and depressed time they need all the help they can get. It's devastating to know that there’s one death from COVID-19 every 5 minutes.
What can we do?
India is in desperate need of resources! There are several ways to help. You can donate to any of the following organizations who are willing to help!
Such as UNICEF, which is sending urgently-needed supplies and equipment to critical care centers in India, but more particularly they are delivering critical oxygen concentrators and diagnostic testing systems and hygienic supplies for health care employees. https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/india-faces-brutal-covid-19-crisis-unicef-there-help/38520
International Medical Corps, who also dispense critical medical supplies to India. https://internationalmedicalcorps.org
CARE, which is a humanitarian organization which supplies essential hospital services, health care workers, hospital beds, oxygen, and etc .https://my.care.org/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app358b?df_id=29830&29830.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T&NONCE_TOKEN=C8F7E655D17E788A5A3C10857545E0A4&_ga=2.44791267.611951262.1619724607-1880716277.1619724607
The Indian Red Cross, who provide both medial and emotional support for those most at-risk of COVID-19. Ambulances funded by the Red Cross transport endangered and unsafe patients --such as migrants, single women, mothers, and those with disorders and substandard conditions to medical facilities in hard-hit regions of India. https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2021/covid-19-surge-in-india.html
OxFam India, they distribute PPE kits to hospitals and other health care facilities, and also will engage with policymakers to ensure the COVID-19 vaccine is bought at accurate cost prices and provided free of charge to all. https://www.oxfamindia.org/coronavirus
*There are many more ways to help out I just listed a few on them, but please do your research and educate yourself about what's happening*