India's COVID-19 Surge

By: Shruthika Araselvan

Throughout the pandemic, numerous countries have suffered from surges in COVID-19 cases. Recently, due to the increased vaccination rates, many countries have been able to curb the spread of COVID. However, this is not true for India. At the start of the pandemic, the Indian government implemented strict nationwide lockdown measures that for the most part, were able to prevent widespread transmission. The guidelines allowed India to be perceived as a “ray of hope” in a time where developed countries such as the U.S. struggled. Unfortunately, India’s success with COVID was short-lived.

The initial decrease in COVID transmission spread a false message to both the Indian public and policymakers that the country will not ever have to suffer from another surge. Travel, religious ceremonies, weddings, etc. were re-started and the emergence of new variants once again increased transmissions. In May of 2021, India’s COVID cases peaked at around 400,000 each day. The country’s total number of cases is now around 28 million. Unlike at the beginning of the pandemic, the Indian national government offered little assistance to states and districts to counter the spread. The country’s already weak healthcare system was unable to cope and hospitals ran out of beds and supplies. The sick were often denied care and forced to wait in long lines outside of hospitals, where they sometimes died. The Indian national government led by Prime Minister Modi were criticized for their lack of assistance and even their denial of the situation’s severity. 

While cases in India have slowly started declining compared to the May peak, the country is still suffering. If you can, donating money to the organizations below will help to make a difference.

  • CareIndia: Supplies India hospitals with PPE and other medical supplies

  • Indian Red Cross Society: Staff and volunteers run blood drives and help to deliver medical supplies.

  • OxygenForIndia: Delivers oxygen for free to patients in several Indian cities.

  • The International Medical Corps: Raising money for campaign to help provide medical equipment, PPE, isolation facilities and other supplies in India.

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