Covid has not just changed the way we live but it has also changed the way the world functions today. One day we prided ourselves on being a global village and on the next we closed borders and refused to let people in.
The story from the ground
India seemed like she did extremely well in handling the first wave of the pandemic. She had past laurels to rest on, her record in handling the bubonic plague, polio and small pox were impeccable. She patted herself on her back about how she conquered Covid 19 and went on to help the other nations of the world by sending medical aid and materials trying to score brownie points with her benevolence.
Where did we go wrong?
While she engaged in a presumptuous and premature celebration of having slain the slayer she disregarded the warnings about second wave and the third waves this killer disease was expected to bring along with it. India's over confidence became her downfall.
Experts in the field warned the government about the need to be prepared, but an impudent government at the center was more focused on gaining popularity and winning votes. It focused on religious rituals like the kumbhmela and elections rallies which helped the virus to spread like a raging fire.
What was the end result? A huge second wave, the mutated virus killing everyone in its path. An unprepared, under stocked and understaffed health service sector was left to handle the show when it still hadn't fully recovered from the first wave. Clear lack of unified direction from the federal government left the states to do whatever they pleased resulting in utter chaos.
The hospitals here were totally unprepared for this second onslaught being low on ICU beds, ventilators and oxygen cylinders. However, more than this is we are currently faced with low man power not just that, the front line staff are a extremely over worked, underpaid and a badgered lot.
Ambulances are busy screeching on the roads, but where do they go? Hospital occupancy rates have crossed the 100% mark a long time ago. Ambulances shuttle from one hospital to another for waiting for someone to recover or die so beds can be free. Mortuary vans are lined up, crematoriums are overflowing with people waiting to cremate their loved ones in never ending ques.
Image taken at the end of the first wave
What annoys me most is the total chaos out here. There are no clear protocols for hospitals or doctors, treatment regimes are unclear and the so called social media influencers have now become the experts suggesting what line of treatment should be adopted spreading misinformation and panic among the masses. This puts a huge amount of pressure on the already fragile health care system of this country.
These so called philanthropists and social service agents hype up distress stories without paying attention to what was being accomplished with little or no resources by health care workers. This has been adding more pressure and demotivating a community that was already doing more than what they could, I speak here for the front-line warriors.
Beds are occupied by influential people who do not need these services and can be taken care of at home. Foreign embassies are stocking up oxygen cylinders when people are dying for want of oxygen in hospitals. War rooms for handling this health emergency are fighting amongst themselves and the powers that be.
Since the 5th of May the number of cases have been coming down, but the number of new cases per day is still nearly 200,000. What worries me is that this is the status while the country is still under strict lock down, and it remains to be seen where these numbers will go once lock down has been lifted.
Social distancing or the lack of it inside crowded hospitals
The second wave of covid has been targeting people in the age group of 25-50 years in addition to the elderly and those with preexisting health conditions. We have been hearing about the deaths left, right and center and the statistics shown by the government is only the tip of the iceberg.
Since the last few weeks, there has been in a sharp rise in the number of cases of mucormycosis, or black fungus, a devastating fungal infection that starts in the nose and progressively invades deeper. Now, doctors have diagnosed white fungus and yellow fungus which infects animals now infecting humans. The only drug effective against this fungus, is liposomal Amphotericin B, which is also in severe short supply.
The rise in the number of cases has been attributed to unsupervised use of steroids by patients during covid illness, as well as to pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes and importantly poor hygiene. At this moment entire wards in my city Bangalore has been filled with such patients, and yet, new cases keep pouring in everyday. (Inputs from Dr. Kevin Jude)
The permanent solution against this virus, at least in the foreseeable future is vaccination. However, they are also in scarcity, thanks to some extremely poor management of resources by the government, who have been useless spectators in this pandemic.
The worst part, however, is that the public, especially those in lower socioeconomic statuses have still not awoken up to this fact. They are still in denial, refusal to wear masks, not following social distancing norms, delays in seeking treatment and lack of awareness have lead to vast numbers of deaths. ( I doesn't matter to me if people believe in the virus or not, I speak about what I see)
My story
My son is a neurosurgeon. He was doing emergency surgeries (read - no time to test patients for covid before surgery in order to save life) with no PPT for the first one and a half months. So, it is no wonder many of his colleagues contracted the virus. They had no time to eat, hydrate themselves or sleep, they worked like machines and continue to do so until this moment.
The government did nothing, they sent these warriors to the battle field without arms and ammunition. The doctors themselves contributed and bought PPT for themselves and their teams members from other disciplines. What did the government do? They clapped hands and banged dishes to celebrate the selfless service of the health care workers.
To be honest I have died a hundred deaths when I sent my son to war and he reported symptoms a few times in the past. I did not see him for months, he had no time to call. Doctors were only tested when they had severe symptoms so he self isolated and didn't allow us to visit him.
What can we do?
Understand, be responsible, follow the directions by the government and the WHO (okay that is another story for another time)
Follow the recommended hygiene practices diligently, wear your mask, follow social distancing protocols, don't venture out unless it is an emergency. These simple things will go a long way in reducing the spread of the disease.
Get vaccinated at the first possible window of availability (I know this is so difficult right now. The scarcity is so bad)
Have concern for others, maybe you are strong enough to withstand the disease, not everyone around you is strong enough.
Help as much as you can, don't throw money on government initiatives. Help those whom you know personally. Reach one person at a time, even that would be effective if everyone did this.
Another dimension to this pandemic
I have another story to tell, a story of a doctor's dilemma. Yes, this story of the pandemic has been about the masses, but we hardly hear stories from the other side. A story of moral dilemma, a story which could pull at your heart strings.
Keep your eyes and ears peeled for my 3speak video which is coming soon.
Thanks for reading this, if you are reading this right now. If not I still thank you for trying.
My sincere thanks to Dr. Ashish Bosco and Dr. Kevin Jude S for the images and inputs from the field.
Thank you 
All images used here were done so with express permission from the owner and are not to be copied or used by anyone else.
The images may not the best, but they are the best in the given conditions and I am so grateful for them.