From the ongoing tide of lovely, caring, worried messages and calls from friends and family around the world, you are all clearly up to speed with the horrific situation here in Delhi.
To everyone who has called, emailed, WhatsApped, Instagram-messaged me, I have nothing but thanks and gratitude for your love and concern. And quite a few tears.
Last year, I found myself crying (almost irrationally) whenever I saw those visuals of Italians on their balconies, singing together. Every time I’d see a zoom choir or concert, the tears would start.
A year on, and so many of you overseas are cautiously emerging, able to meet people and travel a little, and I am thrilled for you all, and relieved that your ordeal is almost over.
For us here in India, the nightmare is even worse than last year, because it is compounded with the knowledge that our government had a year in which to act.
They had the time.
They had the money.
And they didn’t prepare.
At all.
Now my tears are not at emotional music or singing, but at the brutal horrors we see on our screens and in our morning papers.
Dozens of funeral pyres, people cremated in tightly packed rows.
Doctors begging for oxygen for their hospitals.
There is such a feeling of helplessness and anger – if that makes any sense as a combo.
I start my day by checking in on everyone I know who has tested positive, and every day the list gets longer.
Every single day.
Yesterday we found out that 4 members of Himmat’s family (over 3 different households) are positive.
And since we are locked down (lockdown has just been extended for another week) there is nothing one can do.
Just call people, and message them to see how they are.
And send positive thoughts.
And hunker down even more.
We seem to be living in a country out of control and rudderless.
Our esteemed PM says nothing to ease the fear and worry of the 1.3 billion people he professes to serve:
The Chief Minister of India’s most populous state, Yogi Adityanath, however, has plenty to say:
On the subject of the apparent 100% availability of oxygen, the Solicitor General of India also had this to say yesterday:
So what oxygen crisis, you might well ask?
Who are all these families begging for oxygen?
What is my local RWA thinking of, suggesting the setting up an oxygen cylinder tank sharing system?
Who are all these hospital administrators pleading on Twitter for supplies?
And what on earth was this Tweet that I saw just now, whilst writing this?
What #oxygencrisis?
Apparently it will be 2 more weeks till we hit the peak of this current wave.
God help us all.
Let me state here, for the record, that I am sending love and positive thoughts and prayers to everyone who is sick, to everyone who is trying to save their sick family members, and to every one who is just plain, damned scared.
Stay home.
Stay safe.
Oh, before I sign off…just before pushing the “Publish” button that will send this into cyberspace, I checked Twitter.
Watching the tv news reports from India, it looked as if the hospital staff didn’t have adequate PPE. Imagine what will happen if the workforce gets COVID.
of course there is no oxygen crisis – focus on celebrating election victories. Madness here in Goa (municipal elections), W Bengal ….
Our prayers are with you all
Everything she has spoken of is the experience of my friends in Delhi right now. A catastrophic failure of preparation and untold suffering . When will it end ??
Roslyn Namgyal hope your friends and family are ok Ros.
Roslyn Namgyal sadly Norman Swan on ABC health report thinks the daily case numbers won’t peak for another 2-3 weeks. A US epidemiologist said it could reach 1 mill new cases a day by mid May. Heartbreaking.
Penny Winter – we are starting to be affected. Several relatives have had COVID but so far they have pulled through. Vaccinations are taking place in the hill states- and they offer if not prevention then at least less severity of symptoms. There is still some semblance of order and provision. My beloved friends in Delhi however are experiencing utter devastation. At least we can be in touch but it is a bitter safety for us. We are so safe and cared for and our elders and brothers and sisters in India are in such danger and pain. ?
Terribly sad and
very worrying
.please stay safe Christine Himat and your beautiful family.
Thinking about you ????
So sorry and angry to read this
Just stay safe only thing we can all do
all of them are collectively responsible for this mess the EC, SC, leaders in allowing kumbh mela & going ahead with election rallies and not being prepared despite having one year to do that and enough money in their kitty. They have blood on their hands. I wonder how they sleep at night.
So many emotions. Heartbroken seeing the news, so many people dead, and the impact that alone has on their families, grief and loss.
But I am infuriated by the officials at the top. I mean ffs (pardon my French) wtf are thinking!!!!! Obviously not in their right mind.
Please take care Christine. ??
Extremely concerned for my friends and the little family I have left in India. ??????
Horrific & heartbreaking. Every time I look at whatsapp or Facebook someone I know or know of has tested positive for Covid. Worried sick!
And the blame game of center on state has just begun
Heartbreaking…. and I understand your frustrations…
Christine, I am horrified by the news coming from Delhi! I thought the UK was bad but…
Please stay safe ?? my thought are with you and other friends I know in India. Love and hugs xx xx
An indescribable horror…with no end in sight. We are all aboard a ruderless ship and the storm is only getting more menacing.
Meenal Bishnoi I cannot handle the insulting, blatant lies. For God’s sake, admit to lapses. Admit there are problems. But the constant, brazen lying. As though we are all simpletons.
This is what the beginning of the final plunge into the abyss feels like….