Posted On: 2021-05-07 05:27
The second wave
The world was hit by the first wave of Covid19 virus in the year 2020. This brought the whole world to a standstill. As the number of deaths happening around kept on extending, people were scared of the virus and were ready to take precautions to save their own lives as well as the lives of loved ones. After almost half a year of struggle, everything started getting back to normal. The doctors and the scientists predicted that the world would be hit by the second wave in the coming year but they were just assumptions until it turned into a reality. People were still getting infected by the virus but the fear was less among the people and everyone continued to live their life and got back to the daily hustle. But, suddenly after a couple of months of partial freedom, the world was again hit by the second wave of the Covid19 virus. But this time the hit was stronger than earlier. Each part of the world was hit with a new stronger variant of the virus. A total of 7 variants have been discovered and still, new variants are being discovered to date. 229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1, MERS-CoV, SARS- CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 are some of the deadly variants among the dangerous viruses in human history.
Vaccination
But this time, the world was ready to fight the virus, especially the frontline workers. These frontline workers worked hard day and night to create a vaccine and soon these vaccines were made. Though the efficiency of the vaccine is not 100%, still it makes the immunity of the vaccinated person stronger. The virus still might try to infect the host but the vaccination gives the host the immunity to fight it. Vaccination drives are being held by every country to safeguard their citizens against the virus. The countries that were successful in making the vaccine are even helping other countries. The vaccination drive is going at a slow rate but the doctors are trying their best to vaccinate as many people and as soon as possible. There was a delay in starting the vaccination drive in the country as more than 66 million vaccine doses were given to the neighboring countries. This created a shortage of vaccines but now with the help of Russia, the United States of America, and various other countries, the drive is being continued. On 1st May 2021, the drive to vaccinate people above the age of 18 has started and it is important for everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Spike in cases
The number of active cases and the number of deaths were high during the first wave of Covid19. But there is a spike in the number of active cases in 2021 with the increased number of deaths. The second wave of the Covid19 virus is deadlier than the first one. After the end of the first wave, scientists were able to research the virus and invent an efficient vaccine against the parent virus. But this second wave is not just about 1 virus but the virus with its 7 different variants. The countries majorly hit by the second wave are the United States of America, India, Brazil, France, Russia, the UK, Turkey, Italy, Spain, and Germany. The number of active cases worldwide is 155,945,084 with the death of 3,258,428 people as of 6th May 2021.
Shortage of supplies
The Covid Pandemic has changed everyone’s lives and disturbed their normal routine. The major effect can be seen on the lives of the underprivileged consisting of the daily wage workers. To take care of everyone’s safety lockdown1 was imposed and now lockdown 2.0 is imposed in some states. This lockdown has left these workers with no money because of no job. Getting anything costs money in this generation whether it is clothes or whether it is food nowadays even pure oxygen. Everything comes at a cost. These daily wage workers are left with no money and they are not able to feed themselves and their families. The virus is spreading and so is the demon of hunger.
This pandemic has created a shortage of supplies everywhere. Right from the shortage of food to shortage of oxygen. People are dying, most of the time the reason is Covid but the other time is because of the unavailability of emergency resources like vaccines, hospital beds especially ICU beds, Oxygen tanks, ventilators, food, and a lot more. When water was sold in packed bottles, people were cool with it but now due to our carelessness even the oxygen that mother nature offered us for free costs money and even costs lives. The severity of the situation can be seen when on 24th April 2021, 24 people died in Jaipur Golden Hospital in Delhi due to a low-pressure oxygen supply.
In most of the hospitals due to the increased number of patients being tested positive, the patients are made to share their beds. The ventilators and LIfe support systems have stopped working efficiently due to the rough use and low quality. Oxygen plants have to be airlifted from different countries to save the lives at stake. People are losing their lives due to a shortage of medical services, while the blame is given to the Covid virus. People get sick because of the virus but it gets more severe in the absence of urgent medical services.
A heartbreaking story that broke the internet is the story of Renu Singhal, a 47- year-old who tried to save her husband Ravi Singhal by giving him CPR in the auto. Ravi was infected with Covid and needed emergency attention but was not accepted in four private hospitals in Agra. Renu was devastated and wanted to save her husband at any cost. So she took the step of risking it all and gave CPR to her husband. But still, Ravi couldn’t make it and lost his life due to the unavailability of oxygen which can be attributed to the failure of a robust healthcare system.
In this war against the Covid virus, people are trying to fight together but seeing their loved ones die kills their spirit. Countries are helping each other to be better but still the virus seems to give a tough fight by multiplying into new deadly variants. Many celebrities are trying their best to make essentials available for the commoners while politicians are trying to blame each other and pinpointing each other’s mistakes. Bollywood actor Sonu Sood helped many people get home during the last lockdown and is still helping many fight their lives. Many different actors like Gurmeet Choudhary, Ajay Devgan, Ayesha Takia, Varun Dhavan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and more have shown their support towards the fight against Covid19 by donating and helping save many lives.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding plays an important role in modern healthcare where it provides a platform for the needy to raise funds for their saving themselves and their loved ones and backers who can support them come forward and donate. The major funds raised on crowdfunding platforms are for the healthcare category.
Relief funds
Crowdfunding has proved to be a boon for many people during these turbulent times. People are raising campaigns to save themselves and their dearest ones from Covid19. Even campaigns to feed the underprivileged and street animals are being raised on these platforms. Various NGOs are coming forward to raise campaigns for raising funds for relief kits too. Many of these crowdfunding platforms are donating ration kits and essentials among the needy.
Child Help Foundation (CHF), a child-centric non-profit NGO has raised a campaign on Filaantro, a crowdfunding platform to provide meals and ration kits to the needy during this Covid19 Pandemic. Currently, they are providing meals to more than 1800 underprivileged children and have started supporting the Covid19 patients with oxygen cylinders and other life-saving kits. You can do your part and donate to the cause and help in saving a life. https://filaantro.org/fundraiser/view/covid-relief
The youth is doing their part and trying to make a difference too. Social Media is proving to be very useful during these times where people are sharing information about the availability of resources. Covid19 is no joke and precautions need to be taken to stay safe against it. Take care of yourself and your loved ones and help those in need.
“Being together and fighting as one irrespective of the differences is the need of the hour. Show Humanity and help each other during these difficult times. Let us stick together and fight against Covid19 as one. Stay Home. Stay Safe.”
Author : Hritika Singh
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