Everyone is trying to distract themselves. So I didn't want to do a post on this. But then the dominating theme has been -- for now almost one and a half years -- what else!
There have been numerous calls and messages asking us how we are doing. So far so good. Thanks.
Well, as you might know, things aren't looking good in India.
Here are some figures drawn from Worldometer, an independent research group based in the US. Figures are as of 1310 IST today.
India reported the maximum number of new cases in the world yesterday -- 355,828; followed by the US -- 39,767; Brazil -- 36,524; Turkey -- 24,73 and Iran -- 20,732. India is way ahead, and that says it all, why we are currently in the spotlight.
As of yesterday, the US had the most number of active cases at 6.7 million and India was the next with 3.4 million. Brazil, France and Iran followed.
The fact that India is the second-most populous nation in the world with 1.39 billion people, after China with 1.43 billion, and ahead of the US with 332 thousand, gives a different perspective to the numbers.
In India, there are 14,573 people in one million who are infected in comparison to the global figure of 19,779. Slovenia has 116,336, the US 99,903, Sweden 95,903, and France 86,490.
WHY INDIA IS IN THIS STATE NOW
Before that, we must remember that every nation has suffered in the same way sometime over the past one and a half years. The only difference is the way governments have reacted at various stages.
Every nation has also gone through subsequent phases of the infection after its first encounter.
India registered its first case on Jan 29 last year. Daily fresh cases touched a peak of 97,570 on September 12, and it dipped to its lowest of 9,110 on February 9. (Source NDTV)
Like everywhere else in the world, here too people were waiting to clutch that thin straw of hope. And when it came within their reach, they did; in fact, they rushed into it, with a huge sigh of relief.
People rushed out to resume their "old normal" lives. Politicians declared victory. Everyone thought the worst was over and looked forward to the massive rollout of vaccination.
Except for one group of people. That was the scientists, doctors, epidemiologists, virologists etc. They warned of a possible second wave. They pointed to the variants that had surfaced in the UK, South Africa, Brazil etc., in addition to mutations happening within the country itself.
They warned the people, and the state and central governments not to let the guard down.
But to no avail.
People, with and without masks, began crowding public places. Cinemas allowed full occupancy. Buses and most of the train services resumed.
Campaigning for State assembly elections in five states and one Union territory went on as if nothing had happened in the world.
So we are back to square one, in a really bad state, battered and bruised.
STRANGE GOVERNMENT LETHARGY
We all knew India's medical/infrastructure won't be able to cope if there is a massive explosion of cases. That precisely was the reason why the Prime Minister ordered a national lockdown last year.
National lockdown did hurt the economy and people's lives. So that's next to the last option now.
But there were many alternatives -- like local/ district/ regional lockdowns depending on the number of cases.
And, everyone missed the point about the supply chain of medical oxygen to hospitals. That's at the crux of the oxygen crisis, mainly in Delhi, but in other states as well.
But for some strange reason, the sense of seriousness or urgency, which was evident last year, is sadly this year.
EMOTIONAL DRAIN
Most of the families in India are grieving because someone they know -- a blood relation, a friend or an acquaintance -- has left too soon or is in a hospital.
Last year, when there was a national lockdown, without any warning, the abiding images were of migrant workers left in the lurch, of them walking all the way to their homes.
This year, when there is no lockdown, the abiding images are of long queues of ambulances and mass cremations and burials.
There have been criticisms of the media showing these images. But then that's the reality.
All the news media are full of distressing information. Most people are not following the blow-by-blow account of the deteriorating situation.
Bengaluru, where I am, is in the midst of a two-week lockdown. The situation is bad but the medical infrastructure is holding up somehow. The lockdown will end on May 12, if there is an improvement in the situation.
I hope we have learned lessons from the mistakes, and the government and the people will not let their guard down, at the slightest sign of improvement in the situation.