Covid-19 and vaccine
Last year onwards, India suffered a lot due to the Pandemic and the doctors and the entire medical fraternity and the bank personnel, the teaching community and other essential services workers and their families were stressed for months on end. There are still some people who have not left their houses the entire time, waiting for a vaccine. Migrants suffered and their condition was more pathetic than the disease. (There is even a documentary on their untold sufferings.)
The economy was battered, people lost their lives and livelihood. Young students are sitting at home since a year. They have lost their childhood and are agitated. God knows how many have lost their mind. In spite of all this, those who are supposed to protect the people and enforce norms have gone all out to see that their power is preserved. They have held rallies with huge crowds whipping up passions, not caring about the danger they are courting thereby. Now that the virus has multiplied no one is taking the responsibility as if nothing has happened.
Now, we are in a more dangerous position than before. There are no hospital beds, no medical personnel, no medicines, etc, and there is fear all around once again. This scenario makes me wonder whether people in India have lost their minds that they gather in huge numbers. The migrants and their families are on the run again fearing the worst. The only saving grace is that there are vaccines. But the vaccines are soon running out of stock, and there are wise people who think they are going to die if they take the vaccine. So those jostling for power while convincing the people to vote for them should first wear masks, which they are not doing, convince people to take the jab and, as they carry their voters to vote, in the same way they must carry them for the vaccine.
Francisca Mesquita, Fatorda
Let better sense prevail
The second surge of COVID across the country has overpowered healthcare facilities and there is no denying that the same is prevalent across Goa. We are seeing serpentine queues for testing across all centres, both government run and private institutions. A sincere request to the CM Pramod Sawant is to please get realistic and shake off the reverie and false pride. Goa is in the grip of a second wave that is even more lethal than the first.
While we appreciate that there is no lockdown to protect industry and business, you cannot leave it up to the general public to maintain SOPs and behave like responsible citizens. This is India. And this is Goa – an attitude where people think everything is free for all.
Thanks to a lackadaisical attitude of leadership looking for scraps of praise from their masters. Take a drive around Goa, I would advise this current dispensation. See for yourself.
The least this sleepy government can do is impose strict rules for mandatory RT-PCR tests at all entry points into this State. This will ensure we do not have to take the strain of fresh cases from other States and concentrate our resources in looking after our own people. But the sad part is the leadership is looking to score brownie points from their masters sitting in Delhi. Pathetic!
Grenville D’Costa, Margao
Cancellation of Class 10 exams
I am a class 10 student studying in the ICSE stream at a reputed school in Adyar. The decision of the government to cancel the CBSC examinations for class 10 has come as a great shock to students like me who have been very sincerely and seriously preparing for our final board exams as we are afraid the ICSE board may also be advised to follow suit.
We do agree that the surge in COVID-19 cases has forced the government to take such a decision. However, considering the importance of the results in Class 10 exams also for the future of the students, the government should reconsider their decision and postpone the class 10 exams also in the case of Class 12, without cancelling the same.
We don’t want to carry with us the tag of ‘Covid Batch’ that was allowed to get through class 10 without writing the final exams. Already many memes have started going rounds in the social media in this regard. Moreover, issuing mark sheets to the students based on their past performance would not be a fool proof exercise, some of them missing tests due to illness or any unavoidable circumstances.
Steve W Frank, Chennai
Budget: reduced to showmanship?
Shortage of Medical oxygen is resulting in pre-mature Covid deaths. This is very, very sad. Unforgivable. What’s the use landing spacecrafts on the moon? Which human being every mastered multiplication before addition?
There is an acute shortage of medical oxygen in many States. Now, the Govt is ‘floating tenders’ to import 50000MT of medical oxygen? Looking for Rafale deals? Just buy. Goa has increased its health budget to RS 1300 Cr? When will they act? Why have we not initiated procurement of medical oxygen generators at least for the GMC and South District Hospital? China did this immediately in early 2020.
India is yet to install the 162 such units under a ‘PM cares’ ‘scheme’ sanctioned to only certain hospitals, none in Goa. The delay is killing people.
According to Simon Sinek: Great leaders make you feel safe. Leadership is not a ‘rank’ to stamp authority. Leaders inspire safety and trust in their people by working for them and not for themselves or the Party or their favoured few. Sadly, the Govt. in Goa and the Centre has no leaders. Or do people ‘want’ authoritarian people to lead them?
Goa is facing shortage of beds and, in private hospitals, remdesirvir injections. People think highly of social posts stating: does the Covid virus come out only at night?
Curfew is superfluous! No, it is the crowds who come out with gay abandon that provide the virus with ideal conditions to proliferate. And it has grabbed the opportunity with all its spikes. And authorities sleep at night.
R Fernandes, Margao
