Coronavirus Around the World – India

Lockdown and Levels: Coronavirus in India

OTL City Guides are designed to be the go-to for all kinds of lifestyle information. However, we never thought we’d be sharing stories about life during a global pandemic, like this story about the Coronavirus in India.

Unfortunately, lifestyle these days seems to completely revolve around the Coronavirus COV-19 crisis. While so many of us are cooped up at home, it can be easy to forget that we’re not the only ones affected. So, we’ve asked writers from around the globe to share their experiences.

An Independent Journalist Looks Ahead

Sonali is an independent journalist in India who has to put on her face mask and gloves to witness the story of the Coronavirus in India every day. She’s taken time out of her busy schedule to share her personal story, which is hopeful and optimistic.

For stories from other locations, be sure to visit our Coronavirus blog, as writers from around the world are sharing their personal thoughts. Our other latest blog post in this series is Coronavirus in South Korea  It’s a story submitted by a young Hong Kong student who wanted to study in South Korea and not be in lockdown. We’ve also located a few places that will ship a face mask to you within a week or two.

Coronavirus cases India, Coronavirus India, COVID-19 India
Graph is courtesy of the Council of Foreign Relations

Coronavirus in India

By Sonali, an Independent Journalist in India

None of us would have ever imagined the dreadful times, like the ones we’re going through, courtesy of the Coronavirus.

Journalism During the Coronavirus in India

Hi, I am Sonali from India.

Being an independent journalist, I am fortunate, or maybe unfortunate, enough to witness this pandemic so closely. To file my reports on an everyday basis, I have to leave home with a mask and a pair of gloves. I reach out to people, health care professionals, administrators, and police officers for their feedback on this grim situation.

As you may know, India’s Coronavirus graph is also on the ascending side.

India is a densely populated region. We’re afraid that we’ll be severely affected if the situation remains the same. But steps taken by the Government of India have somewhat managed things well, rather than letting it get worse.

From Curfew to Lockdown

We started with the ‘Janta Curfew’ (people’s self-proclaimed curfew) on the 21st of March. Then, we quickly moved to an imposed ‘Lockdown’ from the 25th of March onwards. These steps have mainly helped in smashing the chain of the virus to spread.

Spreading awareness and manufacturing-related medicines, as well as PPE kits to ventilators, has not just helped my country but the nations in need as well. Also, monetary help coming in, in the form of donations across the length and breadth of the country. It is strengthening the hands of the government. The government is doing its best in this hour, whereas developed nations are struggling hard by comparison.

Fantasy to Reality

Well, for me and everyone who belongs to this century, the Coronavirus has made us understand so much.

Up until now, it was only movies that led us to imagine such things happening someday in some parts of the world. But we knew it was all fiction and will never be a reality. The fantasy of life on other planets in the alien films made us curious yet remained a mystery for us.

I have read and heard about the spreading of the plague in India. But, it has now become the reason for numerous deaths and significant catastrophes. It is teaching us that humans stand nowhere in front of mother nature.

Kedarnath disaster India, Kedarnath floods

Recalling Previous Disasters

The Kedarnath disaster in India that happened a couple of years back had shown us our place.

Remembering the terrifying incidence of Bhopal Gas tragedy, which transformed a big piece of land into an open grave, still gives me goosebumps. Reading about the World Wars and watching movies about them horrifies me.

After learning about Hiroshima-Nagasaki, the idea of what nuclear war might be and what such wars could leave behind, the stories were enough to scare me for a lifetime. But Novel Coronavirus has turned our fears to reality. It is an entirely different kind of difficulty. Coronavirus is imprisoning humans while releasing animals and birds to have their part of freedom.

Lessons for all of us

The reason behind writing this article today amidst so much adverse happening outside is to realize what lessons Mother Nature wants us to learn.

On the one hand, we are anxious. But, on the other hand, the chirping and singing of birds are soothing us. We can see the animals freely walking outside the jungle on their land encroached by us are made to sit inside.

But making the most of it and not losing hope, we can breathe in the fresh air and see the clear sky throughout the day. Sitting on my window side and feeling nature after so long has made me write today about something which I have forgotten to do in years.

We will beat the odds one day. But Coronavirus will undoubtedly leave behind both its sweet and sour memories and thousands of stories to tell.