Dear Hivers,
Two tragic events unfolded today:
- Over 10,000+ Covid19 cases have been registered in India.
- The lockdown gets worse with further extension.
In fact, this is the world's largest lockdown. It has now been extended for another 3 weeks – after 21 days. In total, this is a 40-day containment period.
Since I wasn't following the news lately, I was in disbelief the moment I woke up – in the afternoon. By then, however, the news was already out:
In short:
India’s PM Modi has declared a complete lockdown on India’s 1.3 billion citizens to fight the coronavirus.
The lockdown has been extended till May 3rd — urging every citizen to distance themselves socially.
It is important to note:
India is a country of dense population. And there is no widespread testing. We are simply told to pick work-from-home as our only option.
Why? Because, within just 30 days, cases have violently shot up from 10 to 10,000. It is absurdly heartbreaking as you can see:
Nothing we have seen in the last decade comes close to this. Every country is paralyzed with citizens feeling powerless. In fact, I started Hiving right after the lockdown and it certainly keeps me busy.
But truth be told:
Times are tough out there. People who are living hand-to-mouth are starving with limited choices. They keep hitting the streets to seek help.
We have countless number of low-income workers in India. They don't get paid sick leaves, or enough assistance from the government to survive a decent life.
Plus, with another 3 weeks of extension, not only are we experiencing economical setbacks but also serious social problems with devastating consequences.
In fact, my brother has also aggressively started donating food and helping people in need. He has volunteered to offer food. Plus, he has been voicing his opinion with key leaders and discussing ideas with cops.
Today, we also fed the street dogs:
And took simple flavorful rice (tomato rice) to serve people around us.
We see the issues around us clearly than ever before. In fact, apart from working (for own growth), we are learning to contribute in such uncertain times. After all, every bit of humanity can help us overcome these tough times.
Expecting good times – once Corona ends.
Cheers,
Sid