Covid Vaccination

[Iyest]

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The Kumbha Mela has generated swarms of super spreaders. Even if they managed to cleanse themselves of all their earlier sins by bathing in the Ganga, they have now accumulated much more (sin) by spreading the virus and causing the deaths of so many of their fellow beings and bringing hardship and sorrow to the families of the deceased. For some of these survivor victims these horrible memories can never be erased.

And why absolve the farmers' rally? Their leaders said they were well stocked with provisions for several months and that they would continue en masse. Does that not smack of arrogance and strong arm methods? From the interviews on TV it was quite clear that they were ready to exploit the pandemic situation. They could also be partly responsible. Even if it makes no difference to the farmers, it is a fact that they became loathsome to many people who had earlier supported their cause.

If the political parties (starting with the BJP) had avoided election rallies (of course that is more than even dreaming of Utopia) this upsurge could have been greatly controlled. And just 5 years back, many of these candidates had taken an oath to serve the people and ensure their welfare and will be soon renewing that meaningless oath. If there had been no elections (recently) and therefore no rallies, I am sure that (at least) the pseudo secular parties could and would have slammed the Kumbha Mela. These leaders (all parties) had themselves been responsible for large gatherings of people and knowingly created many more swarms of super spreaders. They had forfeited the moral right and were in no position to criticise the Kumbha Mela devotees or pull up the government that permitted the festival.

As to people screaming for oxygen and health system under heavy strain, just read this:
Oxygen Shortage
According to Inox Director Siddharth Jain, currently the oxygen problem is one of transportation and not production but if the cases cross 5 lac per day, there could be a real crisis as the production would be insufficient to meet the requirement. The daily figures for the last 3 days were 3.14 lac, 3.32 lac and 3.46 lac. Unless some miracle happens we could very soon breach the danger mark of 5 lac cases per day and if that happens the scenes are too dreadful to imagine. Vedanta, Tuticorin (which was forcibly closed over environment issues) have sought permission to reopen the plant for oxygen production which they say they will give for free. The Supreme Court is goading the Tamilnadu Govt to take over the plant for the limited purpose of oxygen production and if this happens it can help to some extent. And we are importing oxygen generation plants from Germany and that should also provide some relief.

Though, as per reports, it is likely to peak in mid May, there are many reports that it will take till end 2021 for the country to reach a reasonable level of stability (whatever that means!).

As they say, we need to prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Maybe, the most appropriate wish/ prayer at this time is:

Sarve janah sukhino bhavantu​

I have written about this in another post. Everything you say is true. But it is only 10% of the story IMHO. The main reason for the pandemic is the appalling behaviour of our people.

1. Not wearing mask
2. No social distancing
3. No personal hygiene at home or in public places

By behaving in this manner we have shown the world that we are least bothered about anybody else so long as we are ok. We have mastered the art of finding scapegoats once any tragedy strikes. Take your pick - Modi, Shiv Sena, EC, Kumbh Mela, Darga etc etc. Personal responsibility? What is that?

Sadly I know of a few tragic events in April and May.

1. Wedding in Bangalore. Father of the bridegroom died within days.
2. Seemandam in Madras. Many family members died and dozens got infected.

These are 'educated professionals' from upper middle class. What is the excuse for holding such events right in the middle of the pandemic?

Of course our opposition leaders change their colours faster than chameleons. In 2020 against lockdown, crocodile tears for migrant labour, 'vaccines are dangerous and unproven' campaign. In 2021 all for lockdown, migrant labour forgotten, 'vaccines are great and must be provided free of cost' outcry. But all that does not absolve us of our responsibilities. The root cause cannot be ignored.

 

[ekaputra]

The main reason for the pandemic is the appalling behaviour of our people.

1. Not wearing mask
2. No social distancing
3. No personal hygiene at home or in public places

I agree with you that the indifference of the people is the biggest cause.

I read a blog recently - posted by a psychology professor in some American University. She said that even among people who are working from home (i.e. not deprived of their livelihood), those who are introvert by nature are adjusting very well to the isolation and seem to be in fact happier. But, those who arre outgoing and extrovert seem to be almost suffocating and unable to resist the urge to socialize.

Just as smokers have a psychological need for cigarettes, functions (marriage/ seemandham) and other social get together are apparently irresistible to some people, which in this time of pandemic is as harmful as tobacco.

 

[krish44]

2nd wave of corona is coming to an end .
Nòrthern states are opening out
And soutern states are not far behind.
Life would be normal in couple of weeks
We have paid a heavy price of not preparing for the 2nd wave.
We can atleast plan for another wave
Vaccination drives are being spearheaded by private players.
And they are doing a decent job of it.
But there is a price of about rs 1000 which most can afford.
It is better than risking ones' life.
About 30 % have taken atleast one shot of vaccine.
The pace is picking up fast.I suppose in 3 or 4 months the numbers will go up to 70 %.
Vaccine plus social distancing and mask should be good enough to combat the virus.
Of course our work life hss changed with most working from home
This is likely to stay for next several months
Better get used to our youngsters working from home and children going to online classes.
For housewives having spouse and child 24 by 7 home will put a lot of pressure.
Domestic discords may increase.
I hope all cope well with changed life style

 

[ashok68]

Some of us have the habit of just wear blinkers and pass negative comments

Thee are few, we lived at New Delhi, and who has their permanent address at New Delhi with Passport and Aadhar and other documents, were unable lead his peaceful life at Delhi. He was driven out to Bangalore. They own immovable property at New Delhi and which they used to praise like a heaven. But the fact remains New Delhi miserably failed to contain corona for obvious reasons.

Now he is technical a guest at Bangalore and conveniently commenting on neighbouring State, viz Tamil Nadu where he owns another property.

Such pessimists do have a habit of looking at the negative side of States and keep on shooting messages.

Tamil Nadu is a State which has just experienced an Assembly Election.

Whereas there was no Election at Karnataka recently. But the CM of Karnataka just came out of corona virus. And today’s data, on containment, recoveries and etc data speak volume about the progress Tamil Nadu is achieving.

The State’s entire machinery is in action to bring relief at the earliest.

And we will achieve this shortly.

We also appreciate the efforts of CMs of other States doing their best to achieve the target.

 

[prasad1]

Some of us have the habit of just wear blinkers and pass negative comments

Thee are few, we lived at New Delhi, and who has their permanent address at New Delhi with Passport and Aadhar and other documents, were unable lead his peaceful life at Delhi. He was driven out to Bangalore. They own immovable property at New Delhi and which they used to praise like a heaven. But the fact remains New Delhi miserably failed to contain corona for obvious reasons.

Now he is technical a guest at Bangalore and conveniently commenting on neighbouring State, viz Tamil Nadu where he owns another property.

Such pessimists do have a habit of looking at the negative side of States and keep on shooting messages.

Tamil Nadu is a State which has just experienced an Assembly Election.

Whereas there was no Election at Karnataka recently. But the CM of Karnataka just came out of corona virus. And today’s data, on containment, recoveries and etc data speak volume about the progress Tamil Nadu is achieving.

The State’s entire machinery is in action to bring relief at the earliest.

And we will achieve this shortly.

We also appreciate the efforts of CMs of other States doing their best to achieve the target.

I agree with most of your post. You have your point of view, but so do others. Why the snide remarks?

 

[krish44]

There is nothing much different in different metros of india.Some might be marginally better than the other.
Only yesterday a close relation succumbed to corona in chennai.He could not get an auto to reach hospital. The emergency staff could not save him in hospital.
Health care system has collapsed. Doctors and nurses are unable to cope with the inflow of patients.
Many die due to lack of medical attention in hospitals.
They also het presented with wild bills for treatment.
Relatives do not get the dead body for a decent funeral if the patient is covid positive
We will remember these days for a long time

 

[krish44]

Let us talk of
other things.
Indian stock market is touching new highs.
Inflation is high. Petrol diesel crossing rs 100 a litre.
Inflation hitting new high.
GDP going down every month
Speculators are betting on sugar stocks due to govt deciding to allow ethanol in petrol for vehicles
Domestic wages for maids and cook are at all time low.
Unemployment numbers are staggering.
My maid is a graduate in literature from a decent univ in telengana. She speaks decent english. I feel bad making her do the dishes and clean bathrooms.All for paltry 2k a month.
Cooks get about 3k for breakfast and lunch..
Most are prepared for menial jobs as there is so much unemployment and no jobs to be had for graduates and post graduates
Economically we have been put behind by years.
Recovery might be painfully slow
I dread to think of our country side.
This time there is rural distree in second wave of corona.
It requires MNREGA and free food supply to rural poor can only salvage to some extent

 

[prasad1]

Let us talk of
other things.
Indian stock market is touching new highs.
Inflation is high. Petrol diesel crossing rs 100 a litre.
Inflation hitting new high.
GDP going down every month
Speculators are betting on sugar stocks due to govt deciding to allow ethanol in petrol for vehicles
Domestic wages for maids and cook are at all time low.
Unemployment numbers are staggering.
My maid is a graduate in literature from a decent univ in telengana. She speaks decent english. I feel bad making her do the dishes and clean bathrooms.All for paltry 2k a month.
Cooks get about 3k for breakfast and lunch..
Most are prepared for menial jobs as there is so much unemployment and no jobs to be had for graduates and post graduates
Economically we have been put behind by years.
Recovery might be painfully slow
I dread to think of our country side.
This time there is rural distree in second wave of corona.
It requires MNREGA and free food supply to rural poor can only salvage to some extent

Your experiences may not be universal. My sister's family in Delhi is complaining that they can not get maids or cooks.

 

[krish44]

Your experiences may not be universal. My sister's family in Delhi is complaining that they can not get maids or cooks.

South delhi is upmarket.
The economics is different.
There are bangladesi immigrants in that area.
The bengali familes there patronise them
There are some from tamil nadu there also.
Since many have land allotted to them during sanjay gandhi days they have to travel a few km to service houses
They overcharge and absenteeism is more.
East dehi
Where I have a presence there are slum clusters nearby.in 1 or 2 km.
They work in more houses with smaller incomes from
each house.
My maids mother and daughter from erode belt have been with me for a decade.
Even today one of them look after my flat in delhi
The other serviced me in bangalore.for past 2 months
I over pay by east delhi standards
Ultimately getting the right persons to work is a matter of chance.
Not all are lucky.

 

[krish44]

I do not know whether we have opened out seeing some declining trend in some metros.
In rural india it is not quantified as most have not been tested.Even in metros the poorer sections have not had proper access for treatment or vaccination.
The covid numbers have to be taken with a pinch of salt.
In southern states numbers of covid positive are fairly high. It may take imho at least a month for safer movement.
Only delhi and mumbai are boasting of low numbers. Intereior maharashtra and neighbouring UP or Haryana numbers are high.
No sense in declaring normality when many are dying everyday.
Politics is taking precedence in UP with election due next year. Yogi Modi
confrontation is hogging the headlines.
In other states candidates are changing parties keeping state elections in view.
Interesting times are ahead.

 

[krish44]

MSP for food grains has been announced . .Whether a small increas of about 4 % is good enough for rice dals or cooking oils.
Inflation and high cost of inputs can barely be compensated by a 4 % increase in procurement prices.
But farmers have no choice.
They have been on strike for months with no solution to their demands.
Job front for educated unemployed are bleak
Unskilled are facing starvation .due to prolonged lockdown. MNREGA and support to self help groups can releve somewhat.Free rations can help temporarily.
I hope this nightmare ends fast

 

[krish44]

It is strange that indian stock market is booming .There is no economic fundamental to support the boom.
FII and domestic financial institutions alternately support the market.
Traders and speculators are making a killing.
Retail investors are only losing their money on investing on advise of brokers.
Mutual funds are no better than direct purchase or sale of shares.
Even gold shares are behaving erratically going up and down.
Metal stocks such as tata steel nmdc sail have moved up as also sugar shares.
Sugar shares wildly shot up by 15 to 20% due to govt allowing ethanol petrol mix for vehicles.
Opeing of lockout has pushed up realty stocks
Many think market will crash but it has not happened so far
Most brokers advise cannot be relied upon.
Yet desire for wuick easy money is driving many to share market.
When one is locked in homes stock market speculation is tempting.
These days online portals make in vesting in shares easy.
Most retaiil investors lose only money by playing the market.

 

[krish44]

UP elections around the corner in 2022 is hogging the news headlines.
Yogi's political future is getting hotly discussed.
He seems to have promoted his own Thakur caste and antagonised brahmins dalits .Party high command does want to reduce his stature
Recently they admitted Jitin prasada a brahmin congress leader into the party. It might make a deal with BSP mayawati for dalit vote.
UP is important for all parties.
Whoever wins UP comes to power in delhi.

 

[krish44]

Daily I learn about death of someone I know.
Today brain haemorrage of senior citizen with daughter and son in law in UK
My nephew died of multiple heart attack last week
Both died in hospital
Both had possible covid not detected.
As is normal hospital refused to hand over body.
It appears covid is taking lives of those with some ailment or other
Both died in Tamil nadu.
Dying has become common place.
For Hospital staff death has become routine.
They pack dead bodies and send them for burial or cremation as per desire of relatives.
Covid cases has come down but it is mot good enough.
Still dead count is increasing
I do not know when this nightmare will end.

 

[krish44]

More opening out of cities with removal of restrictions from 14th june monday.
At local level only minor changes to life style like maid and cook timings to be changed.
More families are allowing these workers into their flats .
We had got
used to lockdowns . Now we may not enjoy opening out.
Life was far more peaceful during lockdown.
Monsoon hitting west coast and rains in bangalore .
Beautiful weather making one forget misery due to covid deaths
Statistics are reassuring about dropping of death rates and new covid cases. I do not know if these can be believed.
Until august would play safe and not take flights to delhi.
I am yet to get 2nd covid vaccination due july 1st
Let us see if there are further changes in schedules of vaccination.
Raising of petrol and diesel prices are going to hit prices of food retail prices.
Lot many more will go below poverty line
Nothing happens to well off
They become richer with lower labour cost
and availabilty of cheaper discretionary consumer goods.
Property purchase will be cheaper with lower realy costs in metros.
Govt employees are protected with increased DA compensation.
What happens to domestic workers with no income and laid off from jobs.
There is something basically wrong with the fiscal management of economy.
Rich Poor divide is increasing.
We are neither socialist or capitalist. So we get hurt more getting the worst of both systems
Still we have dreams of becoming a super power.
Countries like bangla desh are doing a lot better than us economics wise.
Unless planning is decentralised and states given more autonomy we will only plod along.
National parties have failed us.
Will regional parties come to our rescue and improve our lives

 

[krish44]

Yogi has been persuaded to step down by the centre.
Placating OBC brahmin vote banks wooing the dalits rajbhars is part of strategy for assebly election in 2022 for UP.
Do not know whether UP will forget covid 2nd phase. Still images of dead bodies on the banks of ganga and dead bodies floating in the river would have hurt sentiments.
Bjp might be banking on TINA.
Congress in disarray. Samajwadi party yet to play its cards.Next assemby election results are anybody's guess.
Bad drubbi
ng in W bengal has dimmed Modi's image of
invincibility.
If opposition gets it
s act to gether rallying around Mamatha is a possibility.
Let us see what happens

 

[krish44]

Slow reduction in corona cases leading to more opening relaxation in lockdown is improving sentiment
Most now are returning tometros from villages.
Travel across state borders has increased.Checkposts are jammed with waiting cars.Delhi has reported an all time low of 236 new cases of corona.
Monsoon showers have reached delhi also.
So life is good there with all shops open now with some restrictions .
Vaccinations are still low .Yet to gather steam.
Many fearing after effects are are shy to taking jabs.
Even educated cannot be persuaded to be vaccinated.
Most middle class fear going to hospitals for treatment for corona
and preferring home isolation.
After a month or so it might be safer to travel by air .to delhi .Until then my blore isolation is better.
Wonderful weather and excellent support system of cook and maid at a competitive price is an attraction
It is cheaper than normal times to live a decent life for pensioners.

 

[krish44]

The gap between the rich and poor has increased far more
Another 15 to 20% have gone below the poverty line Upper middle class and well off have added 25 to
30% to their wealth
Poor have lost their bargaining power.
Domestics accept any salary offered.
Autos do not bargain and ready to take you anywhere as per meter
Buses run with lower number of passengers.
Metro likely to restart services.
Retail stores are open in delhi.
No demand for discretionery house goods.
Schools are still online.
May not open until july or august.
Chjildren are locked home with uncertain future.
No exams.
More unemployed graduates and PG .
My maid has taken to house and utencil cleaning .She is a graduate in linguistics with telugu major and talks fluent english.
Rather sad state of affairs.
They need to be given unemployment allowance .
I wonder how they maintain their mental balance and get on with life.

 

[krish44]

Brahmin appeasement is taking interesting turn in bangalore
Separate queue for them for vaccination
Action against someone making derogatory post regarding brahmins.
Are brahmins such a vote bank for special treatment.
Brahmin hating TN dravidian parties can learn from karnataka.

Dravidian movement has taken brahmin hatred to extremes.
A faulty reservation policy ensuring 69% reservation has killed merit.
Irrational hindi hatred has come to mean dislike of all northerners
Any crime committed is traced to poor migrants from north doing menial jobs in quarries for sand mafia.
Appeasement of locals thru various schemes has promoted living on free grains and food
Productivity has crashed all over.
Brahmins sidelined are running away for
better places in other states
The recent incidents involving an elite school has rekindled animosity and hatred for the brahmin class.
When will caste and religion cease to matter and all will get treated as human beings .

 

[ekaputra]

Brahmin appeasement is taking interesting turn in bangalore
Separate queue for them for vaccination

If it is for Brahmins serving as priests in temples, then it is understandable because of possible greater exposure to public in the event of temples being reopened. But, then this preference must be extended to people of other communities (Lingayat ...) who are possibly serving as Archakas - otherwise it is very wrong to prioritise on the basis of caste rather than susceptibility (owing to age/ nature of work) or importance to society (where a person's service is needed) or any other valid reason.

 

[ekaputra]

Even educated cannot be persuaded to be vaccinated.
Most middle class fear going to hospitals for treatment for corona
and preferring home isolation.

People in Tamilnadu had overcome their initial hesitancy and were ready to take the shots. The case of Tamil actor Vivek suffering a fatal cardiac arrest just a day after taking covaxin created a setback. There are reports (on the net) that in rare cases covid vaccine causes blood clots. Naturally, this fear spread.

Medical experts say (on TV) that even if covid vaccine is not 100% effective, it can greatly reduce the severity of the attack in the sense that a vaccinated person may not suffer from acute shortage of oxygen levels etc. or other medical problems needing hospitalisation. To me this is the single most compelling reason to take the vaccination.

As to people fearing to go to hospitals for treatment, I think it is valid. I know of a family where the lady of the house developed a heart problem and needed a stent and had to be hospitalised. Her husband and son who had to spend a lot of time in the hospital contracted corona. In the case of the husband it became quite serious and he had to be hospitialised. Fortunately they are all fine now. This happened just 2 months back.

 

[krish44]

If it is for Brahmins serving as priests in temples, then it is understandable because of possible greater exposure to public in the event of temples being reopened. But, then this preference must be extended to people of other communities (Lingayat ...) who are possibly serving as Archakas - otherwise it is very wrong to prioritise on the basis of caste rather than susceptibility (owing to age/ nature of work) or importance to society (where a person's service is needed) or any other valid reason.

It is for all brahmins not necessarily archakars
Certain localities like malleswaram has a sizeable number of mandayam and hebbar .iyengars who can influence assembly results.
There are vaishnavite temples to cater to their religeous needs.These constitute a vote bank .
They can hardly be ignored in any election.

 

[krish44]

Sucheta dalal who exposed harshad mehta scam is in nees again hinting at misdoing in Adani group shares. A few foreign funds who had invested in adani group shares is under SEbi scanner. Today the group shares crashed heavily to recover a bit later.Only 4% of their shares are in open market and these shares are closely held by 3 forign funds .

 

[krish44]

States are conceding one by one how much they have under reported covid deaths.
The numbers in bihar and telengana are staggering.
Corona cases are coming down. But by no means it is over.
Every family has deaths to report
Many are having a splash buy gold at low prices and having liquor parties home.
So stock prices of gold and liquor are up.
Upper middle class and high networth persons are getting out of the country in droves.
Poor shape of health care and frequent changes iin vaccine schedules with shortages in many pockets is causing hardship.
Then fake medicines and jabs are causing anxiety.
Mosr are returning to their jobs from villlages.
Not many can sustain on their savings for long.
Familes are left mourning l oss of close
relatives
It will take a lot of fime for wounds to heal.
I sincerely hope there is no third wave.
Political scene is depressing.
Parties jostling for power in next round of assembly elections is keeping every politician busy.
Many are jumping parties. Caste and religion seem to be a major factor for party of choice.
Is there hope for the common man for a better future in all this.
Where are the jobs for the unemployed ?
Are women more safe in public spaces.?
Children stuck home are becoming mentally sick
Will they ever be able to go to schools and colleges as before.?
All want normality which seems to elude us

 

[ashok68]

Normality....?

The situation is not certainly going to change overnight.

By the way, how many of us know exactly how long immunity lasts?

It is said, that human behavior is complex. Right from day one, we are asked to strictly follow covid-19 protocols. We are stressed the need for wearing mask, maintain social distance and wash our hands and sanitize the entire area we live, etc

We have seriously changed to the situation which demanded us to get into new practices to avoid spreading of covid-19

We lived this life with a sense of fear all the time even to talk to our loved ones, neighbors, friends, relatives, vendors, strangers, etc

Some of us were habituated all these days working from home. Think of those days, when we were not able to enjoy our hot breakfast prepared with dedication served with love. With our mind full of hectic traffic and bottle necks of signals, we used to rush to Office cursing our fate. Working from home is a blessing indeed for more.

All these days, we’re just doing things in our own way with leisure, we plan our day's schedule in such a way that we spend the day with enough entertainment, well informed and good health, BUT NO RUSHING.

Of course, everyone seeks a relief and are in favour of 'lock-down' free life.

Let us hope for the good.