What will we learn...

Two years have passed since the start of the pandemic. I remember in 2020 February, traveling in South East Asia, and listening to some leaders who were sure that this pandemic was a conspiracy by certain nations. Two years down the line, we are still are unclear and WHO is requesting for stronger collaboration to sort this issue out!  I remember while in the airport, my family forcing me to buy a N95 mask at an exorbitant price, to protect from something we did not know then well. Today we know somethings better but there are still many unknowns!

Few weeks later in early March, out in a rural hospital in North India, we were having challenging conversations. Listening to the stories coming from New York hospitals, stories of many dying, health care professionals succumbing to the illness, systems overwhelmed by the numbers, we were wondering what would happen to us and our communities where there were no masks, PPEs or systems to care. 

Then the lockdown happened. Government acting tough, taking control, to prevent protect and preserve, but putting millions into poverty and on the road,  people frantically trying to reach homes where they would find support. Not to forget the clanging utensils-based intervention trying to drive out of the virus. And the multiple decsions by the state,  trying to balance between economy or lives,  disastrously impacting both.

And the first wave hit. Then started the frantic scramble to get systems in place. Information coming in, protocols being circulated, were chaotic. Amidst the cacophony of self-declared specialists and experts promoting one protocol after another, finding evidence-based protocols, and listening to sane voices was tough. Even big names like Lancet was caught in such controversy, one example being HCQ. We all ended up taking HCQ, till more sane and clearer voices declared otherwise! There were calls from friends asking if they can take Vitamin D (almost lethal dose) since this was prescribed by an eminent specialist from USA. There were other heavily promoted drugs that supposedly kept many from infection in the most populous state of our nation as per official reports, but evidence on the ground said something else. Many health care professionals giving up the scientific and logical thinking started functioning based on what the YouTube, WhatsApp and other social media told them. Little realizing that the Media including social media had lost the ability to recognize right from wrong, truth vs falsehood a decade ago!

And there were the public declarations of a job well done, declaring of a war won, and returning to political and religious gatherings, and business as usual, when the virus was changing its clothes and lurking to come back in full force. The second wave of the delta variant hit us with most families losing loved ones, systems over stretched, hospitals overwhelmed, blame games being played at political levels and reactive policies to take control and clamp down. Mostly well-meaning but some enjoying the power given to them under the acts that was declared by state. There were large numbers dying, but offical reports showed a 10th of the real numbers. The vaccine policies and vaccine related nationalism was yet another confusion, which is still ongoing.

With too much of information around, many ended up deciding for themselves what is right, true and what they felt is good for them, for some leading to disastrous effects, others doing ok.

With now Omicron going on, we seem to have forgotten what happened in the last 2 years. Life is limping back to normal. There is a fear of Stealth Omicron lurking in the background, but mostly ignored, hoping that we have turned around the bend on the road to recovery. 

What have we learnt from these crises that is still ongoing? Crises brings the best or worst out of people, systems and structures. 

This crisis has taught us, who is it that we cannot trust! The Media, the State systems, the self-seeking and promoting scientists, Nations with their own agendas, and many other such groups. This was expected in a culture that celebrates autonomy and individualism and is “Post Truth” and “Post Scientific.” Will we learn for these and respond better if another pandemic hits? One is not sure. If we go by history, humanity hardly learns from history.

But in the midst of these challenges and confusions there were some remarkable things happening.

There were the same voices, who were trying to speak truth in a post truth world, trying to be logical amidst illogical responses. Though many times not heard above the louder rhetoric and noices, if you carefully listened or looked for, they were there.

There were impromptu communities emerging all around. There were those young health care professionals pushed into the forefront, courageously taking responsibility and fighting the war. Some supported by the seniors, some others battling alone, but creating supportive communities around to take them through the storm. Other health care professionals coming together to provide true and right information, evaluate evidence and share evidence-based protocols, supporting each other through WhatsApp groups, tele support systems. 

There were many local communities that were emerging all around our nation, caring, supporting, providing Oxygen, food and many times a listening ear which was the need then. There were young people coming together taking responsibility where state and public systems failed. There were faith communities providing a supportive presence for many who were grieving. Funeral support was being provided with no caste religion or creed differences!

This should be our learning for the ongoing pandemic and potential future pandemics. There are those trustworthy sane voices amongst us, not heard or usually subdued by the louder voices around. Identify, support and encourage them!

The second learning and need is for local communities to be encouraged strengthened and supported. The support in crises has to emerge from communities that care, like what we saw in the second wave. We should proactively cultivate such communities not in crises alone, but in the interim and as an ongoing discipline. 

The future of our nation, which is becoming polarized is not in the hands of leaders and systems but local communities that care.

Hope I will learn from what I have gone through and be one of the sane voices and facilitate communites that care...