2020 has been a destructive year right from the beginning, not just for India but for the whole world. There can’t be any count for how much loss did we all suffer. People lost their families, jobs, business, home, health and what not. Even the strongly developed countries couldn’t stand still in this pandemic. Countries like the UK, Sweden, Germany, Canada, Japan and France which are ranked top notch in the healthcare system couldn’t provide proper facilities to their covid-19 patients.
Second Covid-19 Wave
The second covid wave is even more threatening as the world is facing an entirely new reality because of coronavirus, and it’s that one at times can feel daunting. Amidst the doom and gloom caused by the relentless coronavirus.
As India struggles in the face of surging cases of COVID-19, good samaritans are stepping up to offer help, in whatever way they can. India is currently in the throes of a vicious second wave of covid-19, and has been registering a steep increase in the number of cases on a regular basis.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, a new, worrying trend is emerging in India.
This is unlike what happened during the first wave of the outbreak, when it was told that children are comparatively safe.
India registered 2,34,692 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 with Maharashtra alone accounting for 27.15 percent of these. As per the Ministry of Health, five states accounted for 59.79 per cent of the fresh case.
India has already overtaken Brazil to become the 2nd most-affected country. An oxygen crisis. A beds and drugs shortage. Overflowing crematoriums and burial grounds.
Government’s Approach
India is deliberating on importing oxygen containers and equipment from friendly foreign nations to address the oxygen crisis faced by the country in the middle of the raging second wave of COVID-19.
The Central government is also planning to press the Indian Air Force (IAF) into airlifting oxygen containers and equipment from other nations.
The Delhi government asked the public to not rush to the hospitals if it’s not an utter necessity. Home isolation is being promoted for people with mild symptoms to save the beds and services for critical patients. Oximometers are being delivered to the public’s place to continuously keep an eye on the oxygen level.
On call doctors from AIIMS, RML and other governmental hospitals are available 24*7 to provide necessary details, clear the doubts and make familiar with the precautions to be taken.
States like Punjab, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand and Delhi have already imposed night curfew and weekend lockdown to control public gathering. Indore has banned any kind of event or public gathering to control this pandemic situation.
Uttar Pradesh has been recording a sharp spike in the number of COVID-19 cases and related deaths in the past 3 weeks, on account of which Allahabad HC ordered for a complete Lockdown till 26th April in 5 cities named Lucknow, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Kanpur. Denying to which CM Yogi Adityanath refused to imply the order and settled for only weekend lockdown in the state.
Although, no valid reason has been put forward by the UP government to manifest their act. This is being recorded as a severe act of ignorance towards the increasing pandemic situation.
Complete Lockdown
As much as we are worried about the COVID-19 cases hiking to its peak, India demands more than just vaccination. Talking about this major step Indian government came forward with last year has proved its importance. World praised this act of complete lockdown as it worked as a wall between indian population and Covid-19 to shake hands.
We had our chance to win over this pandemic when India was recording a comparatively lesser number of cases. We could have improved our health care services, vaccination process and availability of equipment. Sadly it couldn’t come into process due to which India is not able to cope and control this increasing life taking virus.
In 2020 complete lockdown led to a huge loss for the entire country. Since the transportation came to a stop, it created a huge loss in import-export business with neighbouring nations. Apart from this, local vendors, businessmen, factory workers and owners, servicemen and officials also had to suffer through an unbearable loss. Fall in GDP and share market has also been seen. People died more from poverty and starvation than COVID-19.
But we can’t ignore the fact that lockdown helped a lot in controlling the corona hike. Now when India is recording more than 3 lac. cases per day with a death rate of 7.34% in spite of several measures like weekend lockdown and night curfews, we can’t just sit with our backs clenched and do nothing.
Countries like the UK and France have already gone into re-lock thrice to curve the covid surge, the question is why can’t India?
With this scary and alarming rise in covid cases it is the responsibility of each and every citizen to follow all the protocols and avoid any kind of gathering. It is being advertised everywhere to stay at home, keep social distance and wear masks but people aren’t very much interested in following the protocols. Even some of the educated ones are seen recklessly taking this serious issue.
With this set of carelessness, I think locking down the country for at least 4 weeks is the only possible and rational way to get this pandemic in hands.