We all welcomed 2021 with relieved hearts and happy faces. We felt that worst is over and we are going to be covid free.We thought covid battle ended. But no one expected that 2nd wave of this covid tsunami would come and would take away lives at such jet speed. Covid infections and deaths are mounting at alarming speed.
Official data says : at present 2nd wave is claiming 120 lives per hour over .It is said that largest Islamic graveyard Jadid Qabristhan is full now. Frantic relatives and friends are pleading for beds ,O2 cyclinders and life saving medicines. India is gasping for breathe. Many heart wrenching incidents of videos showing relatives helplessly watching their dearones die infornt of them. The emotional pain they are undergoing is unexplainable.
At present we are living in such uncertain times where today’s “Get well soon “ message can become tommorrow’s RIP message. Anger is raging across India with fire of endless funeral pyres.
Who is responsible for such grave scenario.
Whom to blame ?
Should we blame virus for its virulent strains?
Should we blame governments for being complacent in getting prepared for 2nd wave, for conducting elections ( Ever since election campaigning began in West Bengal, covid infections rose by 32 times. State has seen terrifying crisis) , for being incompetent in providing needy healthy services, for making India gasp for breathe, for moving on snailpace in providing quality health infrastructure, for making India- a largest vaccine maker fall short of shots and for making lose our dearones.??
Or Should we blame ourselves for being complacent in taking precautions, for defying mask culture, for not abiding by social distancing norms,for being irresponsible,for running out of quarantine centres, for just criticising government?
Yes, we should blame the govt and also society as whole for this present state. Its our collective failure that has pushed us into this darkzone.
However just blaming alone will do nothing .Infact it worsens the situation. Enough of all blame games now. We all should accept the fact that blame games cant bring back the lost lives. But our actions can atleast save the lives now.
We should collectively fight this covid battle. Governments should come on mission mode to provide mass vaccination drives, enhance its surveillance strategy, engaging more health care workers, provide O2, lifesaving medicines on time, check the blackmarketing of needy medicines, impose mini lockdowns in vulnerable zones.
Covid should act as a wakeup call for govt to focus more on healthcare.
Not just the government, Society as whole should take this 2nd wave seriously. Adopting mask culture again, practising social distancing, taking healthy food, doing pranayama daily, practising sanistising, stepping out only when it is needed, helping the needy , practising gratitude for all healthcare personnel and frontline workers(they deserve huge respect for such relentless and selfless services), strictly abiding by covid norms.
Undoubtedly undergoing this “Once in a century crisis ” phase is very challenging. However we should not lose hope.Taking inspiration from our past where with our collective efforts we could overcome 1st covid battle, now also we should move with the same fighting spirit.
As said by hellen keller: ” Alone I can do little , together we can create miracles “.Only Ourcollective actions can make “Get well soon” message to “Happy to see u recovered.”
Deepika 