Photo Credit: © Niharika Kulkarni/Reuters
In India, citizens are facing horrific realities as hospitals become completely overwhelmed and supplies such as vaccines, oxygen, and beds are in high demand but very short supply during the country’s second wave of coronavirus.
An outcry for help from many citizens can be seen across social media channels as they have nowhere else to turn. Last Thursday, India reported 314,835 new Covid-19 infections which is the highest daily increase in cases worldwide since the pandemic began.
The outbreak has resulted in India’s cases alone comprising almost 28 percent of new cases worldwide in the previous week. India is also dealing with a new variant, resulting in a more overwhelming state for the country as scientists attempt to calculate the risks of the new variant.
Why is this happening?
It’s obvious that actions (or lack thereof) taken by the government have massively contributed to India’s current state of emergency, but not alone. Wealthy western countries are hoarding supplies of the vaccine; less than two weeks ago Vox reported that the limitations to vaccine exportations that both the UK and the US put into place were seriously affecting India. https://www.vox.com/2021/4/18/22390493/india-vaccine-shortage-export-ban-covid-19
Rich countries with 14% of the world’s population have secured 53% of the best vaccines. Almost all of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines will go to rich countries. The Moderna vaccine will go to rich countries exclusively; it is not even being offered to the poor. In fact, nine out of 10 people in poor countries may never be vaccinated at all. – Fatima Bhutto for The Guardian
India’s vaccination rollout plan aimed to vaccinate 300 million by September 2021, yet a study by John Hopkins University Data found that only just over one percent have been given full doses. https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/india
Whilst events being allowed to continue such as the BJP election rallies contributed to this rise in cases, exportation limitations put in place by the UK, US, and European Union have all been a factor in this with the UK holding enough vaccines to vaccinate its population five times over.
What can I do to help?
Social media is being used as an outpour of cries for help from citizens, many documenting the horrific realities they’re facing in regards to their friends and family members. But social media should not just be used for documenting the emergency state India is operating in, it can be used to help.
Use Your Platforms
Use your social media platforms to spread awareness of the current situation in India to alert your friends, family, and followers who may not keep up to date with the latest news. Just one person learning from your shared posts is enough.
Follow this through with talking to those around you about the situation, discuss, don’t ignore. This horrific situation and the role that western countries have played in it can lead to helpful discussions better informing your choices of who to support in upcoming elections.
Donate
Give India is taking donations for specific reliefs, such as helping with oxygen supplies, donating food, and providing sanitary products.
Action Aid is taking donations to provide money to those seeking food and healthcare as well as organising vaccination camps that target smaller communities that could potentially be otherwise forgotten.
This Google Document contains a vast amount of links to help in many ways with the ongoing crisis.
Words By Megan Selway
