Coronavirus Part 38, Wants in Pandemic, Spirited U.K.

          The caseload of infections are progressively falling since a long time. The weekly average of cases is 38 thousand which is few thousands less than previous week. Hope we are saved from  any further calamity of bigger magnitude. As mentioned we need to be ahead of the virus to keep it at bay. The active cases are also reduced from 5 lakhs two weeks ago to 4.24 lakhs as of today. There are five states which are contributing heavily to the total toll. Maharashtra and Kerala alone are contributing more than 50% to the country-wide caseload. The focus should be on these few states going ahead.

            Barring few grey areas, the daily infections are reducing, the active cases are coming down and importantly everything is gradually opening up. This defeats the catch -22 situation which I mentioned in the last post. Everyone asks what you want? Cases to go down with a bad economy or cases to go up with unrestricted movement leading to good economy. We want neither this nor that. We want the good of both worlds. We want cases to go down as well as a good economy without any restrictions. 

         There is no give away or a trade-off here. We would work as hard as we can, improve the economy while at the same time defeat the virus. Nothing can be snatched from us as a cost for something else. There is no reason to duck infront of a formidable opponent but rise to the occasion spiritedly and discard it with disdain. There is a need to act like a true warrior but with caution. Learn from any of the covid warriors how hard they are fighting to bring back the old days.

           In the same way, there is no compromise in connecting the world. We are not going to give away our essential travel, trade and anything else which requires open borders. We want to have the advantages of a connected world without carrying the virus. These are not simply wants but requirements of the present world which is also happening in some parts of the world. As mentioned, India opened up and the cases are also reducing. Yes, we want everything and say it loud that we want it all.

             The biggest problem in the path is those who remain vulnerable to virus by being unvaccinated. This is a problem which is emerging to be of huge magnitude causing many headaches. This is going to become a pandemic of unvaccinated as more than 95% of the cases are registering among those who are not vaccinated. This huge problem can nullify the gains produced from the work of warriors as they put not only themselves but others at risk as well. 

             For instance, the US is facing this problem of a big spike in infections as the vaccination rates drop. It is presently in a state where it can vaccinate its entire population very soon. But the rate of vaccination dropped by more than 85% from the peak. Going at this low rate, it will not be until January'22 that the nation can fully vaccinate 70% of its population, leave alone 100%. At present, it has fully vaccinated 56% of eligible population. Because of the dropping rates, there is a spike in infections by more than 70% over the previous week. This is a huge problem when you have all necessary ammunition but people hesitant to use it. Unless this problem is solved, you cannot go further in the fight. Vaccine hesitancy is a real world problem and this slacking behaviour should die down on priority. The lessons learnt from the situation developing in US should solve the problems else where - the vaccination rates should not drop till 100% is achieved, cases should not be allowed to rise in multiple spikes, people should not be hesitant to take vaccines. 

           India has administered 40 crore doses till date and maintaining a steady rate of around 40-50 lakhs per day. This should go up as more vaccines are available since only 8% of eligible population received two doses. Even two among three of eligible population hasn't received a single dose either. This should be quickly fixed to avert any variants taking over. With just 8% receiving two doses, there is no eagerness shown by remaining populace to get the jab. Empty paid, free slots in some locations and people not turning up for the drives is a case in the point. Vaccine awareness, hesitancy and carefree attitude towards gravity of threat are emerging as major problems in India as well. Each educated should inoculate 10 others to keep them safe. I have been checking on the near and dear and getting them inoculated.

            While India and US are grappling with problems of compliance to vaccination, there are few countries which are overcoming the limitations of covid world. UK is inching towards normality with 88% receiving atleast single dose and 68% fully vaccinated. This is moving them towards herd immunity with 70% fully vaccinated. Though UK is registering 50 thousand cases per day, they are not holding back on any public events. UK is spiritedly fighting the pandemic by lifting all restrictions from 19th July and limping back to full life - they want everything. They didn't hold back in successfully organising Euro 2020 in right spirit with fans thronging public areas in lakhs, organised Wimbledon with full house, conducted cricket test championship final, hosted New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan for continuous cricket matches, stitched together a B team when players were infected with virus, hosted Indian women's cricket team and portrayed a vibrant country to the whole world in the midst of pandemic gloom. The legends of UK are back in their hour of shine. This should be the shining example to the whole world in putting across the motto - Rise from the ashes of pandemic, Get up from the low lying state of mind and say 'We want everything'.

            Regarding one of the umpteen matches, UK stormed to Euro'20 football final and lost to Italy in penalties narrowly. Many a home-side matches came home but the trophy didn't come home unfortunately to the fans of England. There erupted racist chants and comments on the three who missed penalties. This is highly uncalled for and happens in every sport. The legends of UK needs to prepare well and win as the best side should always win on any given day. 

            Generally I came across four types of people in the west - Black men, Black women, White women and white men.The first three helped me their heart out and I don't understand the legendary white men who are always elusive to common man understanding. The black men and women helped in laying down a career for me, the white women are always working their heart out while the white men are never in my picture with any substance. This is my first hand experience and I don't generalise. But when the legendary white men lose, you should not blame the genuinely good people from the other three groups for your own shortcomings. I know they didn't defeated you, Italy does.