Pandemic Notes – 22/05/2021

Mundaka Upanishad:

सत्यमेव जयते नानृतं सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः ।
येनाक्रमन्त्यृषयो ह्याप्तकामा यत्र तत् सत्यस्य परमं निधानम् ॥ ६ ॥

satyameva jayate nānṛtaṃ satyena panthā vitato devayānaḥ |
yenākramantyṛṣayo hyāptakāmā yatra tat satyasya paramaṃ nidhānam || 6 ||

6. Truth alone wins, not falsehood; by truth, the Devayanah (the path of the Devas) is widened, that by which the seers travel on, having nothing to wish for to where there is that—the highest treasure attained by truth.

Shankara’s Commentary:

Com.—Truth alone, i.e., he who speaks the truth alone, wins; not he who utters falsehood, for there can be neither victory nor defeat between abstract truth and falsehood where they do not cling to men. It is well known in the world that he who utters falsehood is defeated by him who speaks the truth; not the converse. Therefore, it is established that truth is a strong auxiliary; again, the superiority of truth as an aid is also known from the sastras; how? It is only by truth, i.e., by a determination to speak what had occurred, the road named “Devayanah” (the way of the gods) is widened; i.e., is kept up continually; by which road, seers free from deceit, delusion, fraud, pride, vanity and falsehood and having no desires, go about to where the absolute truth, the highest treasure covetable by man and attainable by the important aid, truth, exists. The expression “where the greatest, etc.,” is connected with the preceding clause “the road by which they go is widened by truth.” What that is and what its characteristics are, will be explained.

Source: https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/mundaka-upanishad-shankara-bhashya/d/doc145127.html

 

I tried to embrace truth in life. Its difficult path. Am encouraged by Mudaka upanishad “satyameva jayate nānṛtaṃ” ( Truth only triumphs, not untruth. ) I believe will be vindicated too. I do appreciate that there are various paths in this world. Truth is not prerogative of one person or entity alone. But truth alone triumphs. That is basis of justice.

I have been numbed by ongoing health emergency in country, the second wave has already seen highest deaths in the world in a single day, daily fatalities are still very severe 4,000 plus every day, the regional lock downs continue and infection is still rampant. There is also a scare of allied illness – Mucormycosis or Black fungus. I don’t think we are on a recovery yet as the numbers are still very high and the fatalities/deaths very severe. How did we come to this situation?

The standard answers : exceptionalism, irrational exuberance over conquering first wave, not learning from trajectory of illness else where or from history of Spanish flu of 1918 and super spreader events. To be fair to authorities had there been any other government – it still would not have been easy to deal with Covid -19 and variants. There would have been same unknowns. Unknown unknowns. It would still be very difficult call to postpone elections in a democracy. However there may have been more faith in science and preparations. Religious and cultural congregations would have been called off. May be it would be easier for scientists to speak truth to power. I learnt that from Dr. Fauci – “Speak the truth and just stick with the science.”( A Pandemic Guide to Solving Problems with Science: Peter Doherty, Jennifer Doudna and Anthony Fauci – moderated by Laurie Garrett, first Nobel Prize Summit)

I think our healthcare infrastructure is inadequate. It’s been exposed. I also feel our much heralded Indian Administrative Service ( IAS) has also been found wanting in this health emergency. I don’t think – PMO ( Prime minister’s office) or even NITI Aayog can cope up with the scale of this emergency. The planners have not got it right. We need a specialized crisis management group comprising of domain experts – epidemiologist, physicians, representation from Industry (CIII or a FICCI) and administrators ( IAS). If there is such a one existing, am unaware of and that’s my fault. There is no dearth of good advise. There should be political consensus.

I say cautiosly about Indian Administrative service ( IAS) for which have great regard. As many of my one- time friends or co aspirants joined service. They are medical science graduates, from premier institutions like Indian institute of Technology ( IIT’s) or from humanities and other streams. Its a difficult exam and there is no question of meritocracy. I have high regard for all of them. (I was once a aspirant too.) I think IAS has been ill prepared for this pandemic barring a stellar performance from Mumbai and Nadurbar in Maharashtra. These are exceptions. May be there are more stand out performers am unaware. The general systemic response is poor otherwise we would not have had such a infectious spread. May be it’s a collective failure – public health, physicians, planners and general population. Why blame poor people for ” COVID inappropriate behavior”. They are not experts or decision makers any way. Our health ministry has also been belligerent needlessly. I read PIB reports of meetings – good news is shared upfront- recovery rates, cases plummeting, no of doses ? Why? Bad news should be shared first. That’s where true work begins and something can be done. I once heard Infosys Founder Narayana Murthy give this advise in award ceremony ” Bad news should take the elevator and good news the stairs.” (NDTV 25 Greatest global Indians 2013). I think this desire for good news camouflages reality. That’s not speaking truth to power.

I think not just health infrastructure but every arm of our democracy needs introspection – media which functions like a triumphalist PRO, constitutional autonomous bodies like election commission ( what was need for a 8 phase election in Bengal?). Judges have awakened late and set up a national task force for distributing oxygen and other medical advise, High courts have been a lone saving grace, bureaucracy has not been efficient, planners from NITI Aayog – procuring limited vaccine supplies that have been in adequate ( we need to learn from Biden administration and Israel), our focus on atmanirbhar ideology does not help in a emergency, we need to trust our scientists and have global collaboration on startegies and genomic sequencing. I think WHO has a team supporting the effort and we received aid across the globe. Grateful for same.

I am yet to get my second dose of vaccine for my mother and myself, we really have a supply problem. The policy should have been consistent. It should have finished with high risk population and then opened for above 18. I think it was a reaction to a surging dangerous pandemic. There was much clamor to universalize. We still had not worked out supplies these have led to stop gap results. If there is a coherent effort or a policy, am unaware of and thus it’s my fault.

The crisis has reached rural India and hinterlands where there is no access to health care services really and pictures of scores of bodies in river banks is heart breaking. So really we have let the pandemic surge and there have been huge gaps in our response.

I think this is a collective failure. We are a democracy which had always rooted for scientific temper since our independence. It’s true our health infrastructure was always sketchy barring medical colleges and hospitals in cities. I don’t think health infrastructure should be measured by a few hospital chains in cities or in semi urban areas. Our investment in health as a percentage of GDP is among lowest at 1.5% of GDP. We have a lot to do and a systemic overhaul is needed.

Am sure there will be a time for a intospection.

Right now the country apart from daily Covid fatalities is facing another scare – Black fungus or mucormycosis. It seems a collateral side effect of oxygen, steroids and diabetes. The deaths/fatalities are increasing. We are really in a war like situation.

I wish the government and doctors all the luck in fighting this huge battle against Covid. My wishes are with every one suffering and fighting this infection in some way.

One thing that has been on my mind for experts – when you do a Ph,d or a MD do you get a right wing or left wing Ph.d or a MD 🙂

May be without ideological leanings, one is just a professional. Neutral. To see things as they are – neither positive ( pro something) or negative ( against something). That is path of Zen. The path of truth.

I hope we ramp up vaccinations by procuring all available vaccines and find some respite from this pandemic and black fungus.

These are difficult times.

“Speak the truth and stick with science.”

Truth alone triumphs in the end not falsehood.

Science is the path of evidence and thus empowers truth.

My advise to leadership – Look for immediate bad news Sir! Good news will follow eventually.

Sincerely, Suresh

Recomended Reads:
1. Is paranoia the key to pandemic preparedness by Niall Ferguson, Foreign affairs

More:https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2021-05-18/paranoia-key-pandemic-preparedness?utm_medium=social

2. The SARS – CoV -2 Virus as a wily Wizard by Dr. K. Srinath Reddy – The New Indian express

More: https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2021/may/15/the-sars-cov-2-virus-as-a-wily-wizard-2302611.html

3. How Covid broke the evidence pipeline by Helen Pearson, Nature

More : https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01246-x

PS : Any error in facts or interpretation is purely mine. This effort is to think some constructive questions in a personal way. Thank you!

Dear Rajeev – Notes 16/05/2021

Dhoondo Ge Agar Mulkon Mulkon
Milne Ke Nahin Nayaab Hain Hum
Tabeer Hai Jiski Hasrat-O-Gham
Aye Humnafaso Woh Khwaab Hain Hum

(Even if you search me, world over
You”ll not find me , for I’m rare 
With a flair to handle grief and sorrow,
O my friends! am embodiment of that dream.)

Shaad Azeemabadi (1846 – 1927) (Ghazal sung by very great Abida Parveen)

Dear Rajeev,

I am listening to this song today. With deep sadness am writing down this unfulfilled conversation of ours. Normally broken self is in even more shambles today. I have lost hope.

I took your number from Hassan again ( had your old number), who told me he met you last in Hingoli at your residence. I even messaged you anxiously yesterday hoping you are fine and will hear from you again. I am just gutted.

I prayed for you as you were admitted in Jehangir Hospital ( Apollo). I thought of calling Jehangir many times and when saw a news in a local news channel that your test results have come negative. I was relieved and happy.

I saw a morning tweet from Youth Congress President Srinivas BV and heart sank deeper and this is saddest have felt in life.

We spoke some years back and it was a breif conversation.

My wholle life changed after civil services attempts as was completely unprepared for a career in private sector. My heart was not there and nor liked the loud people whom met in Industry. I was sad at my little struggles so was shy and kept away all these years friend. I was shy and embarrassed. I stayed away from everyone. Am sorry!

Meeting you has been one of my good experiences in Life. I remember you told me with a smiling face with a hand over my shoulder ” Chal mere saat Bombay chal, wahan padte hain. ( Come with me to Bombay, we will study there)” I told you ” Na Mere pas wahan ghar hai na koi udhar ( Nor have place to stay or anyone)”. You just smiled that handsome winsome smile ” Chal na ( Come on)”. I just came along with you and stayed in South Mumbai with two more friends. You fell sick and couldn’t spend much time.

I read with admiration your wonderful performance in parliament and you are four-time consecutive winner of the  Sansad Ratna Award.

You were one of brightest Parliamentarians of the country – you were elected to both Loksabha and Rajya Sabha.

Prime minister also tweeted about our great loss as well as leaders of Congress party.

Today is one saddest days of my life. I have lost my last hope. I lost my father, my friend and now you whom was planning to call and speak are also gone. I feel ship wrecked.

I will remember your kindness and faith in me as you wanted to genuinely see me succeed in civil services examination.

You achieved much more than any one knew in Public life.

You were also one of my favorite friends – smiling, ready for a joke and rare and deep senibility. You are also most pleasant dignified person. I will miss that smiling handsome face.

India has lost a fine fine politician and young leader.

I will always remember you and you will stay in my heart.

I love you Rajeev!

May God help family and children in this untimely loss. My prayers for family. Om shanti.

Sad and broken!

Your freind, Suresh ( Jaykar library, Pune and lived in your flat in Worli sea face, Mumbai)

PS : This is hardest post that have written. I listen to Leonard Cohen when am sad and helpless. It helped channel that brokenness again and could write this post to friend – Rajeev Satav.

This post is dedicated to Shri Rajeev Satav ji, Congress Rajya Sabha MP from a friend who studied with him.

Image is from The Hindu article : https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cong-leader-rajeev-satav-dies-of-complications-related-to-covid-19/article34570204.ece?homepage=true&utm_campaign=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR0LRvyczSxiQJOqy_E2eVr2URsQgf1Dq7u9N43CHN7SSWcAxCxKXjZN92U

Happy Mothers day – Notes 09/05/2021

“Be like the sun for grace and mercy. Be like the night to cover others’ faults. Be like running water for generosity. Be like death for rage and anger. Be like the Earth for modesty. Appear as you are. Be as you appear.”
― Rumi

Long time ago a friend whose whereabouts don’t know told me ” You’ve always done what you wanted.” (I wish had done it well though.) It was a moment of realization. I just did what wanted. Nothing else. Never followed norms of society. I read Osho a lot. I listened to Springsteen a lot. My life was like those working class songs.

One of the problems was to study science and humanities. I thought civil services  examination offered that possibility. I was wrong. My anxiety was no good either.

That created lots of problems for my loving hardworking lower middle class parents . My choices were non standard, sometimes ambitious for my background and sometimes escapist. I tried a lot. I failed a lot. I struggled a lot. I stayed at different places. But did what wanted. Life was a experiment. My father saw that – I made a lot of effort and accepted. My mother found it hard. It became harder due to circumstances in family – death, illness and uncertain future. I feel have given lot of difficult moments to my mother. Life was difficult for me too. I spent terrifying moments alone or sad. Many people ignored me.  Except my two  friends, friends mothers and occasional date. My friends mothers – all of them were very kind – giving me good advise and kindness.  I used to go for a walk and run and there too people were kind and called me son. I got along well with all. I still had it difficult with my mother. But we were committed to each other. 

It is this day in and day out commitment to each other and family. My mother has been my most enduring relationship. Its true for my siblings too – sister and brother. They also cannot do without her. I also realized with time – one’s mother is far more intelligent and wiser than any of us. It’s true of all mothers. Children inherit mother’s intelligence read in a research sometime ago. I think its true. 

I miss my father who supported with all of himself and more. It was difficult for him to deal with such a different anxious son. He was nice man who helped everyone. I am dedicated to mother. We are not ideal and don’t have it easy. But loyalty and commitment is always constant. I never had a loyal relationship with a woman or a company. Every body leaves sometime. 

Except friends who are loyal. I love my friends too. My mother told me fifth was her birthday – I keep forgetting because suspect that she changes it every time.

I am not perfect. I am honest. I say – I love you even if am scared. I take risks – dropping out from college, working early, studying for civil services in university, entrepreneurship and even all those difficult consulting assignments. (First two was a mistake and escapism.) I went for spiritual courses. I learnt meditation. I did all wanted. I could have been better. Better results. Prayatn karne ki baad, Bhagwan jo dete hain woh prasad hai:)  (After endeavor, whatever god gives is a gift . This line is from a talk on positive mental attitude – ISKCON. )

I wish had made mother happy. She wants me to marry and have committed work. Simple requests. I feel sorry for her, my life has just been a roller coaster of lows – lows, highs- lows, lows – lows, lows – highs…

I want to make my mother happy and proud. I need some luck and wishes. That’s my only goal in life.

One more picture from my native place – in my uncle’s house.

I like this picture which took in an unguarded moment. Of course can never say – I love you to mother. She will probably shout. She told me – we dont have bhagya( luck). I know that. So i grind.

My mother turns seventy. It’s a hard life. I want her to feel good. I am most imperfect son. I try sincerely though.

I wish to be like my mother.

All that desire is mother’s blessings.

Happy Mother’s day!

PS : If you read my posts. Please be kind. I bare my soul. Please be kind. I may not be of your liking. Please be kind. (Don’t gossip. Don’t bitch. Please be kind.)

India second wave – Notes 03/05/2021

India Second wave:
“-heterogeneity in B.1.617 geographic distribution is observed across region.
-co-circulation of other VOCs (including B.1.1.7 and 501Y.V2)
-other variants (e.g., B.1.618)
collectively may be playing a role in the current resurgence in this country.
-Preliminary modelling by WHO based on sequences submitted to GISAID suggest that B.1.617 has a higher growth rate than other circulating variants in India, suggesting potential increased transmissibility.
-co-circulating variants also demonstrating increased transmissibility.
-other drivers may include challenges around the implementation and adherence to public health and social measures (PHSM), and social gatherings (including mass gatherings during cultural and religious celebrations, and elections). Further investigation is needed to understand the relative contribution of these factors. “
― WHO, Variants of interest B.1.617,Update on SARS-CoV-2 variants ( COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update – April25)
#covid19india #publichealth

WHO COVID -19 Weekly Epidemiological Update April25 states- “South-East Asia region reported the highest relative increases in both case and death incidences. While a number of countries in the region are reporting upward trends, India accounts for the vast majority of cases from this regional trend and 38% of global cases reported in the past week.” The situation in my country is beyond grim and sad. Many of us have lost relatives and acquaintances and life has taken a morbid uncertain turn. The SOS for oxygen cylinders, beds and Plasma is every where on social media. Although there is no evidence that plasma cure works and nor is it borne out of any clinical trial by India’s foremost body for medical research – Indian council of medical research ( ICMR). I do not have the heart to comment on social media posts that it dosen’t work. It will come out as insensitive, people are in desperate situation and want to hold on to any hope there is. Sad situation. Crematoriums have no place to bury. People are still dying because hospitals have run out of oxygen. It’s very sad and sorry situation. The situation in Delhi is horrible. I cannot understand why we do not have coordinated oxygen supplies. The demand is more than supply. There must be a crisis management group for oxygen, medicine supplies and hospital beds. This was also suggested by Dr. Anthony Fauci in an interview with the Indian express dated May 1.

I mean, first of all, I don’t know if India has put together a crisis group that would meet and start getting things organised. I heard from some of the people in the street bringing their mothers and their fathers and their sisters and their brothers searching for oxygen. They seem to think there really was not any organisation, any central organisation.

The first thing to do is to first look at what is the immediate thing you can do right now. What is the intermediate thing that you can do in two weeks? One of the things that you can do to prevent this prolonging — you’ve got to look at it in multiple different phases.

For example, vaccinating people right now, which you absolutely must, must do — it’s essential — is not going to alleviate the immediate problem of people needing oxygen, needing hospitalisation, needing medical care. That’s not going to fix it now because vaccinating people today, it’s going to be a few weeks before you alleviate the prevention of other people getting sick.

So take care of the people right now. I would think that you’ve got to get some sort of a commission, or an emergency group to make a plan how to get oxygen; how do we get supplies; how do we get medications, and call — maybe with help from WHO — countries.

― Dr. Anthony Fauci

I think Central government is taking emergency measures and embassy’s across the world have been coordinating air lifting of oxygen plants, concentrators, cryogenic tankers, medical supplies like remdisivir and tocilizumab. I think government has negotiated with global pharmaceutical companies to maintain adequate supply of medcines. According to a report in the The Hindu April 27 ” Gilead Sciences, the U.S. manufacturers of anti-viral drug remdesivir, used in the treatment of COVID-19, has announced that it will donate at least 4,50,000 vials of the injection, under the brand name Veklury, to the Government of India, as the country is facing a shortage of the drug. Gilead is also committed to providing support to voluntary licensees based outside of India to increase their production capacity. Gilead’s planned support will include the donation of API to licensees with a view to accelerate production.”

I very much want to share for benefit of those reading this post:

For remdesivir, the Solidarity trial showed no effect on severe disease or death, but the ACTT-1 trial showed that for patients who were at the stage of requiring supplemental oxygen, but not yet needing high-flow oxygen or non-invasive ventilation, remdesivir provided some benefit in shortening duration and preventing death. This highlights that the drug is not for every patient, but for a small subset at a specific stage of treatment.

Similarly, for tocilizumab, evidence-based recommendations are narrow, for a subset of patients with rapid progression who need either high-flow oxygen or non-invasive ventilation, and in combination with other therapy including steroids. For plasma therapy, there is no evidence that any plasma from any group of donors is helpful as shown in the Indian Council of Medical Research-supported Placid trial, and is not currently recommended. Clear answers come from large clinical trials. We have over 400 registered studies in the Clinical Trials Registry of India, mostly small studies that will not inform future practice.

― Dr. Gagandeep Kang, Evidence : The bedrock of Covid management, Hindustan times 27 April

I have been following Dr. Kang’s views on pandemic  and is the most credible voice in India as she has experience on working on a vaccine – rotaviral vaccine. I first came to know about Dr. Gagandeep kang in a NDTV show wherein Lalita Ramakrishnan, Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Cambridge suggested India should use Dr. Gangandeep Kang’s experience in rotavirus and other infectious diseases. Dr. Kang is also  member advisory committees for the WHO related to research and use of vaccines. I hope the authorities listen to her more.  We really need to promote good science. One of the basic attributes of science as Feynman say’s is – ” culture of doubt. ” (Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt – Richard Feynman.” We have been too certain. We declared victory over virus too early, We went for cultural gatherings, elections and cricket matches. The three big entertainments of our democracy. 

Except one person.  A young public servant went about assiduously preparing for a second wave – setting up oxygen plants, creatively mobilizing resources, training manpower and ensuring adequate supply of beds and ICU’s.  A district collector of Nandurbar in rural Maharashtra. Dr Rajendra Bharud is in many ways a outlier a story of hard-work, determination and intelligence. I had read about his journey some time ago.  I was once an aspirant too.

I read a news report about Indian scientists and medical researchers  asking Prime Minister  access to data that could help study coronavirus.  300 scientists have written to prime minister and signatories includes Dr. Gagandeep Kang. Business standard  April 30 report quotes ” While the Indian Council of Medical Research has granular data on all residents who’ve been tested so far, it restricts access and this database must be opened to outside experts as well, almost 300 scientists from research and teaching institutions requested in an online appeal.“The ICMR database is inaccessible to anyone outside of the government and perhaps also to many within the government,” they wrote. “While new pandemics can have unpredictable features, our inability to adequately manage the spread of infections has, to a large extent, resulted from epidemiological data not being systematically collected and released in a timely manner to the scientific community.”

We must help scientists in every possible way with data. Only science can save us. 

Further  Dr. Fauci in the Indian express interview had stated:

Has the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US national health protection agency) asked to help in genome sequencing of the Indian variants? Has CDC obtained samples of the variants?

Well, we absolutely need to study it intensively to find out if the vaccines that are being used are inducing a response that would be protective against this variant. We heard some preliminary announcements that the vaccine appeared to be okay. But there are another announcements that were saying we aren’t so sure about that. So what I think needs to be done very, very quickly is to get specimens and material outside of India and sent to the CDC of the United States, the NIH (National Institute of Health) of the United States, to the Wellcome Trust in the UK. There are a lot of groups that would like very much to help out and they can help out by doing the sequencing and the surveillance and the determination if the virus is, in fact, sensitive to the antibodies that are induced by the vaccine.

― Dr. Anthony Fauci
This is just not a problem for India. We need science and scientific collaboration  all over the world. 

I read WHO COVID -19 Weekly epidemiological Update April 25.  It has a special focus on SARS Cov- 2 Variants

“-VOC 202012/01 has been detected in three additional countries, variant 501Y.V2 in three additional countries, variant P.1 in two additional countries
-As of 27 April, a total 139 countries have reported VOC 202012/01, 87 countries VOC 501Y.V2, 54 countries VOC P.1
-Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants within Pango lineage B.1.617 were recently reported as a VOI from India and has recently been designated as VOIs by WHO
-As of 27 April, over 1200 sequences have been uploaded to GISAID and assigned to lineage B.1.617 (collectively) from at least 17 countries; most sequences were uploaded from India, the United Kingdom, USA and Singapore
-However, this lineage comprises several sub-lineages, including B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3, which slightly differ by their characteristic mutations.Both B.1.617.1 and B.1.617.2 were first identified in India in December 2020, and have been detected at increasing prevalence concurrent to the major upsurge observed in the country. B.1.617.3 was first detected in India in October 2020, but relatively fewer viruses matching this sub-lineage have been reported to date.
― WHO, Variants of interest B.1.617,Update on SARS-CoV-2 variants ( COVID-19 Weekly Epidemiological Update – April25)

(Notes : 1.B.1.1.7, VOC 202012/01 (United Kingdom strain), 2. B.1.351,VOC 202012/02 ( South Africa strain) 3.B.1.1.28.1,
alias P.1,VOC 202101/02( Brazil and Japan strain),4. B.1.617 (India strain)

B.1.617 which has been attributed to incredible surge of cases and infections in India is already been observed in some form in 17 countries. Thus it’s a world problem. Everybody needs to take care, stay safe and vaccinate. Nobody is safe till everyone is. Please this surge is not just a India problem.

Prof. Bhramar Mukherjee of Michigan school of Public health in a Times of India dated April 25 opinion piece writes:

Going from the personal to the population health level, the humanitarian crisis in India has ripple effects far beyond its borders. What happens in India affects the whole world in a number of ways. I will just share two compelling examples. As we can already appreciate, the more the virus spreads, the more it mutates. The UK variant is in Michigan, the Indian double mutant is in the UK: no one is safe until everyone is safe. The pandemic has taught us more emphatically than ever that our health is interconnected. The second example is through more obvious supply chain connections. Since India is one of the world’s largest vaccine producers, skyrocketing domestic demands for vaccines have already started to affect the immunisation plans of other countries.

― Bhramar Mukherjee, professor and Chair of Biostatistics at the University of Michigan School of Public Health

The more the virus spreads, the more it mutates. India touched 4,00, 000 cases few days ago and deaths and fatality numbers are tragic.

The human tragedy that has unfolded is unthinkable. Just baby born, pregnant mother, young people, television anchor it’s been a very very sad story.

We must believe in science. Life seems to be random at this moment. It shouldn’t be this way. Let me leave with a line from a “Leonard Cohen – Remembering the Life and legacy of the poet of brokenness”, Rolling stone :

” ‘I believe in cause and effect, but I don’t know which is which.’”

Sincerely, Suresh

References:

1. WHO COVID -19 Weekly Epidiological update April 25
2. Indian express – Dr Anthony S Fauci on India’s Covid Crisis: ‘Shut down the country for a few weeks…hang in there, take care of each other, we’ll get to a normal’. More:https://indianexpress.com/article/express-exclusive/indias-covid-crisis-anthony-s-fauci-coronavirus-death-7297380/
3. Hindustan times – Opinion – Dr. Gagandeep Kang, Evidence: The bedrock of Covid management . More:https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/evidence-the-bedrock-of-covid-management-101619532812017.html
4. The Better India – How This IAS Officer Cut Nandurbar’s Single-Day COVID-19 Spike By 75%. More:https://www.thebetterindia.com/253438/ias-hero-nandurbar-district-collector-maharashtra-second-wave-coronavirus-vaccination-oxygen-plant-beds-ventilator-pandemic-india-inspiring-gop94/?