EDIT | SEEMA
GOING
BEYOND LIMITS No Time for Complacency
T
his Mother’s Day, my heart goes out to Mother India. The COVID crisis ravaging her is nothing short of a humanitarian crisis. As I write this note, the country has once again shattered records for the most number of new coronavirus cases reported in a single day: 400,000. Sitting here in the United States in the comfort of my home, my family fully vaccinated, it is heartbreaking to watch people dying in parking lots gasping for breath, waiting for oxygen tanks and hospital beds. And the gruesome sight of mass cremations is a flaming symbol marking the horror of it all. A grim mood looms over our community as we approach Mother’s Day. It is encouraging to see the global Indian diaspora, many members of which have family and friends impacted by COVID, mobilize to raise funds for relief efforts. The funds are to go toward oxygen tanks, medicines, to help families in need, and provide food relief and livelihood assistance to migrant workers and other underserved populations. These measures are vital, as are efforts to set up care centers and makeshift COVID hospitals. It is heartening to see people provide aid at a time when the system has failed. As we watch the tragedy unfold, I cannot help but be frustrated by the complacency and carelessness that led to this second wave. Earlier this year, most people thought
that India had was over the pandemic, and it was lauded for keeping COVID under control. The Lancet spoke to one medical practitioner about the attitude: “’In early 2021, an opinion that India had overcome the pandemic and acquired herd immunity gained ground among policy makers, sections of the media, and the public,’ said Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India. ‘Even sections of the scientific community propagated this view,’ he added. The belief that there would be no second wave, says Reddy, was also spurred on by the desire to reopen society and revive economic growth.” This misplaced confidence led the government to relax rules for mass gatherings like the Kumbh Mela festival that millions of people attended to take a dip in the holy Ganges. Several states held elections at the same time. This meant multiple political rallies, all with large gatherings of people. The relaxation of strict measures, including the proper usage of masks and social distancing, did not help. Of course, now the virus is budding off into other potentially deadly forms, including a so-called “double mutant” that is more virulent. My wish for Mother India this Mother’s Day is the gift of wisdom – to stay at home and observe public health measures; ensure an influx of relief supplies, including oxygen, medicines, food, and vaccines from the world community; and to continue efforts to vaccinating everyone. On May 1, the government announced that all adults older than 18 years would be able to get a COVID-19 vaccine. So here is wishing Mother India all the best on Mother’s Day.
SEEMA KUMAR, FOUNDER MAY 2021 | SEEMA.COM | 5
