India is undergoing an extremely harrowing time with overpacked hospitals and patients are begging for oxygen, medicines, and hospital beds, while cemeteries and crematoriums are filling up.  The devastation is not only disturbing the nation but is bothering the globe. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO technical lead on COVID-19, told a news conference.  “The exponential growth that we have seen in case numbers is really, truly astonishing, we have seen similar trajectories of increases in transmission in a number of countries, it has not been at the same scale and it has not had the same level of impact of burden on the healthcare system that we have seen in India.”

Heartbreaking images of sick dying patients, the dead and the grieving will haunt India forever, and the solidarity Pakistan displayed to India during the crisis touched hearts, while Saudi Arabia, Germany, Russia, UK, Australia, USA, among many other nations reached out to India.  COVID-19 has broken down stony barriers and united the world in unprecedented ways. When one nation is affected, it sends out ripples to other nations revealing our linkages and interdependencies.

Coronavirus has been extremely infectious and now the triple mutant that was detected in India called B.1.617. reveals that it may escape immunity and be more transmissible causing higher rates of infection because antibodies may be unable to block the virus, but tests are still underway on the B.1.617.

If B.1.617 starts to explode in India, the situation is going to be out of control like an atom bomb and India would become a red-hot zone.  It would be particularly nearly impossible to manage the virus and this would affect eventually everyone around the globe.  Despite travel restrictions, COVID tests, and quarantine implemented, the virus is still leaking out.  A single flight finds most passengers testing positive for COVID-19.

India too has been the hub for trade, export, import, technology, science, medicine, etc., and COVID-19 striking India with its full fury would be disastrous not only for India but the world.  Economic ties are going to get badly fractured and lead everyone to limbo land where nothing could happen.  Financial crashes can spiral all over the globe if India is damaged by the ravages of COVID-19.

Indians living overseas in nations such as UK, USA, Germany, Saudi, etc., are naturally concerned about their loved ones in India.  While the USA initially refused to supply the raw materials to India for making vaccines, the Biden administration came under pressure to eventually supply the raw materials because they may have been briefed on the ramifications of their denial to India.  Eventually, it is going to affect everyone if any nation who is stronger closes its doors to help.

The WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday, “The situation in India, where COVID-19 cases have surged, is “beyond heartbreaking”, and the World Health Organization is sending extra staff and supplies there to help fight the pandemic.”

“WHO is doing everything we can, providing critical equipment and supplies, including thousands of oxygen concentrators, prefabricated mobile field hospitals and laboratory supplies,” Tedros told a briefing.

The WHO has redeployed 2,600 staff members from other programs in India to help support the effort to fight the disease, he said, citing figures provided last Friday.

India has also ordered its armed forces on Monday to help tackle mounting new coronavirus infections which the hospital infrastructures are unable to manage the surging invasion of the virus.

“The way to limit viral variants emerging in the first place is to prevent the virus replicating in us… so the best way to control variants is actually to control the global amount of disease that we have at the moment,” explains Prof Sharon Peacock, Director of the Covid-19 Genomics UK consortium (Cog-UK).

Lockdowns and social distancing measures are vital, but vaccinations are of paramount importance, and it also anticipated the vaccine will build herd immunity.

India’s high population of 1.37 billion has seen less than 10% of its population have their first dose of the vaccine and less than 2% are fully vaccinated.  India too is home to the world’s biggest vaccine manufacturer – the Serum Institute of India. And this could be a reason why India’s surge in cases has repercussions for the rest of the world.

The bottom line is the Coronavirus is viciously attacking one country after another and shows no signs of dying down, and ultimately, none of us will be safe until everyone is safe!

Also Read: After Rahul Gandhi’s appeal, Cong sets up control rooms for Covid aid with oxgen, plasma, meds…

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