Pall of gloom

This refers to the report ‘Coronavirus: India sees record 412,262 people infected, 3,980 deaths in 24 hours’(May 6).

It is very disturbing to see the increasing number of positive cases in India. The stories of desperate people waiting in front of hospitals and at the crematorium are very traumatic. It shows the depth of the situation and how the common man is severely affected for mistakes, some of which are not of his making.

One of the most appalling things is that facts and figures are hidden. Medics in some cases are criticizing the administration for not disclosing the actual ground situation, mainly the death count. The large number of people waiting outside the crematorium for the last rites reveals the true scenario. Vaccine shortage is another serious issue that needs immediate attention. In the initial phase, people were hesitating to go for the vaccine, but now when the situation has changed due to the increasing number of positive cases and deaths, there is a rush for procuring the vaccines.

The situation is grave as hospitals are full and emergency facilities are in shortage. It is time India ramps up the vaccination drive and gets more people vaccinated at the earliest.

The central and state governments, political parties and support machinery must be transparent in the battle against Coronavirus.

Ramachandran Nair
Muscat