Mika | 23 | They/She | Pan | History major | Anime trash | Proud soprano~ | I am a living shitpost | This blog is mostly me screaming. | I am in Persona hell | Ask something~Submit!
Adora: I’m a goddess.
Glimmer: You yelled “Shut up” at the thunderstorm and it just happened to dissipate, it was merely a coincidence. You have no power.
Catra: Shut up. She’s a goddess.
Look, I know a good number of you are from the US and things aren't amazing there either, but my country is literally on the brink of collapse. So I'd love it if we could talk about that for a minute.
If you can't do anything else, please just read and reblog.
A second COVID wave has taken out the healthcare system. There are no more hospital beds. There's an oxygen shortage. There's a critical vaccine shortage. The Central Government has thrown its hands up and is passing the baton to the State Governments to do what they can.
There are over 16 million covid cases. A record 330,000 new cases reported yesterday - comparable to the US at its peak. 187,000 dead as of today.
There is no plan.
Mass cremations are taking place. The cremation grounds are running day and night and they are short on wood. People are watching their loved ones die while waiting for a hospital bed, and then they're unable to give them the proper burial rights.
Hospitals are overwhelmed. Patients are being confined, two to a bed. They're the lucky ones.
We are on the verge of people dying in the streets.
This is the second-most populous country in the world. The largest democracy. A country that encapsulates over 15,000 years of recorded human history and has endured everything from famine to invasion to colonisation.
We might be at the end. This might be the thing that does us in.
People are dying.
People are dying.
People are dying and there is no plan.
More good news? Variants are popping up. A double mutation strain has shown up. It is resistant to current vaccines. This will not go away. This is the devastation they warned of when the anti-maskers were out protesting the minor inconvenience of covering their face in public.
My country is on the verge of an emergency state. Our government has failed us. This is as dire a situation as it ever could be.
Look. I don't do much with my life. I write fics, some of you have read them and that's pretty much it. I spend my days with my head in the clouds because that's where I like to be.
But two days ago, my grandmother tested positive, had to be taken to hospital and the ambulance caught fire.
She barely made it to the urgent care she needs.
So, here I am, using whatever meager platform I have to cobble this request together. Because I have to do something.
Even a small amount of 5 or 7 or 10 of foreign currency will help a lot. Our government has essentially abandoned us. People have turned to social media for help. WhatsApp groups and DMs on twitter/insta is where we find help. Our helpline is a Google doc. Situation is so dire that hospitals are discharging patients due to lack of oxygen. Every night the same story, oxygen running out in hospitals, citizens running around to somehow arrange for oxygen with minutes to spare. Last night, we had manged to get oxygen to a hospital with 14min to spare.
(THIS REBLOG IS A COMPILATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS FROM VARIOUS BLOGS TO THE OG POST FROM THIS POINT ONWARD. I HAVE RETYPED THEM IN A COHERENT AND COMPREHENSIVE MANNER. ALL BLOGS WILL BE CREDITED AT THE END)
25th April, 2021
The number of new cases has almost hit the 350,000 mark. The total number of covid cases in the country is just shy of 17 million. People are largely on their own now and help, if any, is yet to come. Most importantly, donate what you can. As little as 5 dollars can make a difference right now.
DO NOT DONATE TO GOVT. OR STATE FUNDS. THE ‘PM CARES FUND’ ESPECIALLY. IT IS A BLACK HOLE OF MONEY.
As someone else pointed out in the notes, there is no central helpline. All we have is each other and the little we can do in the face of this chaos.
We're resorting to social media to get help and spread awareness. We have literally the same tools you do. Please don't let this die yet. Please get the word out if you can't do anything else.
Take this message to other platforms. Spread the word. Those of you on Twitter, please use your voice to promote #indianeedsoxygen.
At the very least, please don't let this post die. Don't let more people die. Keep reblogging and yelling about it on social media.
Thank you so much and please, keep us in your thoughts
-- -- --
This is a good time to mention that the blogs making this post are not affiliated with any charity or donation center and are not receiving donations on behalf of anyone.
This is a list of resources compiled partly by @dracogotgame and more importantly, by other people who have a better grasp on the situation than myself.
They are to the best of our knowledge great resources but we still encourage you to do your research and put your money where you believe it will be used best.
If you find more ways to help or donate, add them in a reblog - let's get as much information out there as possible.
Much love and please stay safe
26th April, 2021 - Update
Nonetheless, all the international efforts are heartening and will make a lot of difference.
But even as I write this post, the total number of cases in India is 17.3 million, 195,000 people are dead and the number of new cases continues to rise - last seen at 354,000
These numbers will not go down anytime soon, not with what we're working with. An oxygen cylinder costs roughly $ 7 right now. So does a hospital bed. You will save literal lives with just a little generosity. There is no such thing as adequate help right now.
But I want you to know how grateful this one Indian is to all of you who reblogged, used your platforms, opened your wallets, found the goodness in your heart to help and didn't give up on us.
Thank you.
Shukriya.
Lakh lakh dhanyavad.
We're nowhere close to done yet, so I am once again requesting you to please keep up with your efforts to get the word out there, make noise and help us reach the right people
---------------
(NOTE THAT MOST LINKS BELOW ARE OPEN TO INTERNATIONAL DONATIONS AS WELL)
US and UK: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56881083
US : https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/25/politics/covid-supplies-to-india-from-united-states/index.html , https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-amid-concerns-in-india-and-brazil-the-unused-vaccine-stockpile-in-us-7289009/
What to do to help if you’re an American citizen
A stockpile of tens of millions of vaccines exists in the US, a fraction of which could make all the difference to India right now. No one needs to die. Things are bad but Indian lives can still be saved without costing American ones.
Call your local representative and register your concern. Urge them to offer India aid by way of donating some of the vaccine stockpiles and removing the ban on raw material exports so lives can be saved.
April 27th Update- The US has agreed to give India raw materials to fight COVID19. Still unclear on if this is for all countries or if India is an exception due to the severity of the pandemic.
HOWEVER, no action has been taken yet. US citizens please urge your government to release the vaccines ASAP so that more deaths can be prevented.
Journalists and Media Outlets to Follow
I've linked their twitters as it provides bite sized info but most have youtube/insta/websites with more in depth content)
https://twitter.com/fayedsouza
https://twitter.com/thewire_in
https://twitter.com/scoopwhoopnews
Not your newspaper - Instagram
DO NOT trust OP India, ANI, Republic TV, Aaj Tak or Times Now as they are all staunchly in support of the central government who is responsible for a lot of the problems we are facing right now.
Tumblr Blogs/Pots to find out more about the situation:
A huge, huge thanks to @bi-witch-of-chaos for compiling all the resources on hand in this post, they're the MVP!
If you would like a well organised and easy to follow resource which has all the information but none of the formatting insanity of my previous versions, this is a good one!
As mentioned in the update, we've got good news from the US in terms of releasing vaccine raw materials to India and the decision to share 60 million vaccine doses with afflicted countries.
More than anything, this is proof that your voice matters and you can make a difference.
But time is still of the essence. So if you're in the US and want to help, please do not stop urging your local reps to fast-track these efforts! We are still facing massive odds with our healthcare system buckling and medical shortages on all fronts.
Friends in the US and elsewhere, your kind donations are the difference between life and death for hundred thousands of people. All links to donations in the post and a reminder to do your due diligence on the charity you choose - we want you to put your money where it will help the most.
Don't forget to spread the word on other platforms as well. #indianeedsoxygen
Use your voice. It makes a difference.
Thank you all, with your help we might just come back from this. And a huge thank you to everyone who has compiled resources, links and info!
29 April, 2021: UPDATE AND SOME FURTHER INFO FROM YOURS TRULY
Sobering news incoming. The cases continue to rise. As of this moment, there are 18.3 million active cases in India and the death toll has officially crossed 200,000 (Pls note: live link, constantly updated and figures may change. As of April 29th, the new case figures had hit another depressing high at 379,257.
Hospitals continue to struggle with the load, less than 10% of the population is vaccinated as of now and oxygen supplies remain low.
Smaller towns, cities and villages who most definitely don't have infrastructure matching that of Delhi, Mumbai and other tier-one cities are now in the grips of the virus. Projections are grim.
Also in news that should concern everyone, the Indian variants of the virus have now spread to 17 countries, as per the WHO.
Your donations are the difference between life and death, now more than ever. Check out the links in the posts above and please do your research - this blog is not endorsing and is not affiliated with any of the listed charities. We are working with our best possible information and strongly encourage you to do the same.
A few silver linings: Help is coming from our friends and allies. We have not been abandoned and that means the world to us.
But I have to stress more than anything that time is still of the essence. Your efforts matter and complacency, in this case, means death for thousands.
So thank you all for spreading the word and keeping your efforts going.
There's a bit lot more to say but I'm just going to put it under the cut.
Continue reading for requests on how to share this post on other socials, what content I'm focusing on, one clarificiation/retraction from my side in the light of new info (IMPORTANT esp. if you plan to share on other socials) and some responses to comments I've seen on social media.
Content I am focusing on:
In the interest of keeping efforts focused on desperately needed donations (check for links above in the post, do your research on charities and NGOs before donating) I won't be posting anything from this point on with a political spin. Is there a time and place for views on the government's role in all this? Yes. That time is now and that place is everywhere so please continue to exercise your right to free speech.
That said, I'm going to abstain on this platform as my initial aim was and has always been to spread awareness of the situation and direct you to donate where you can so your help is effective.
Sharing this post on other platforms:
Super grateful to you all who are spreading the word. It means the world to me. I'm definitely not going to insist you link back to this post but I do insist you add the link to donations in a very clear and obvious way. This is especially important for insta users who are posting this as pics and can't link back easily. Put the links for donations in your bio. Don't hide them in stories or highlights.
When you do that, people accuse this post of sensationalizing the issue without providing any resources to help. This is the opposite of my aim here so please, share responsibly.
A retraction
In the initial version of this post, I stated that the new Indian variants were resistant to the vaccine. I was working with the information I had at that time and believed I was correct. Unfortunately, this was not the case.
The jury is still out on whether the B1617 double mutant strain is resistant to vaccines. There is some concern that this strain may help the virus evade antibodies and reduce efficacy. However, none of these claims are conclusive yet. Vaccines are still immensely efficient and under no circumstances, is the content here meant to endorse an anti-vaccination agenda.
Get vaccinated or I will eat you.
The triple mutant variant which is being called B1618 carries the E484K mutation which is known to be an immune escape variant. There are concerns of higher rates of transmission but vaccine efficacy is still something that needs to be thoroughly tested.
So while there are reasonable concerns about higher rates of transmission, possible reduced efficiency of vaccines and strains of the virus that may evade antibodies, there is no conclusive evidence at this stage that vaccines won't work at all.
This is untrue and if I have endorsed that in any way, then I retract it immediately.
If you share this to your socials, then please, please include this retraction as well.
I also commit to continue updating anything I have claimed which has turned out incorrect. I'm just one person trying to help and I'm not perfect (or frankly, even good at this). But I'm trying my hardest.
Responses to assorted comments I've seen on my socials:
You're being hysterical and dramatic. India is not 'dying'. This is a country of over 1 billion people and the death toll is barely a fraction of the population.
This is the one that gets me the most. Look, I don't know how everyone defines a 'dying country'. If your perspective is that there will be people left in the aftermath of what is happening, then I don't know how to talk to you.
I don't know how to explain to you that losing even one person to this awful disease is a bad thing. And I definitely don't know how to explain to you that it is the exponential growth of daily cases and the death toll that's grinding us into the dust.
We're not just dealing with a certain percentage of the population being infected. We're dealing with a healthcare system that can no longer keep up, a densely populated country that makes spreading the virus easier, lax public safety measures, smaller towns that have now been infected and don't have enough infrastructure and a critical oxygen and vaccine shortage.
Record numbers. Increasing capacities in crematoriums. Spikes in case and death tolls every day.
If you're accusing me of hysteria, you are not paying attention.
This is all interconnected. You may argue we're not dying, but I posit that we are not all dying yet.
This is not even touching on the classist issue that those most affected are going to be from vulnerable and low-income demographics who don't have the resources to protect themselves, can't stay home and afford to miss out on a daily wage and lack the information resources that might save their lives - which is frankly a whole other discussion that we need to have.
Things are dire enough for me to be hysterical and if your only argument is that we will have enough Indians left when it is over, then please go away.
Just...go away.
Why did you compare India's numbers to the US in your post? Suffering is not comparable.
I did not. Tumblr is a US-centric website. When I made this post, it was with the assumption that it would circulate here among a few people who would be seeing the situation from this perspective.
I noted for the sake of highlighting a concerning situation how India's case numbers were on par with the US at its peak so that people could put in perspective what is happening. It was a frame, not a comparison.
Suffering is not comparable. Help needs to go to all afflicted countries, I have always said this. Me highlighting India's situation is not claiming that other countries don't have dire problems because they do. If anything, what's happening in India is just proof that COVID is a global issue and we're not safe until every single one of us is safe. Help everyone you can - that is the position here. If you have resources on how to help in other countries, I will share them.
People are to blame. Not the government.
This is exactly the kind of thing I am not going to address here. There are tens of thousands of conversations happening right now on accountability for India's pandemic. This is not one of them. The focus here is donations only. Whether you agree with my reasons or not is not a concern I am taking up at this point.
Showing pictures of cremations is offensive.
This is a talking point that has come up a lot and is a story all on its own. I will only say this as an Indian. The pictures I shared in my post were a birds' eye view of a cremation ground with no identifying information and of a man standing in a cremation ground.
The disrespect of putting up pictures of cremations in my view is second to the bleakness of having to have mass cremations in the first place. Why is showing the situation as it exists disrespectful? Isn't it far more disrespectful that it exists in the first place?
As long as it is generating genuine awareness, the picture stays.
Your claim that India has 15,000 years of recorded history is wrong.
I included this one because it made me laugh tbh. But if anyone wants some clarification here, I was referring to the Bhimbetka Cave Paintings in Madhya Pradesh which are estimated to be around 15,000 years old. They are recorded and they are history and that's why I said it. Also, I really, really like them and they were on my mind then.
I don't know if there is a very specific definition for recorded history that doesn't include this, but that is essentially what I was talking about.
That's all for now.
Thank you for your wishes, prayers and of course, your donations. Pray for India and keep her in your thoughts. Help where you can. I'll update this post with more info when I have it.
Warning for images of her with facial injuries/blood in the description, but here is one organized by Chantell Taylor, Rickia’s best friend and sister.
I apologize for not reblogging him as much but everyone needs this on their dash daily. Seriously everyone needs this on their blog or wherever.
Do they rerun this anymore or no?
fellas im straight up not having a good time im in the middle of a lil meltdown over how much time i’ve spent sewing roses on my skirt before realizing they were anuses (or ani like cacti? 🤔)
“They say that there are only three or four or five topics for literature, but maybe there’s only one: belonging. Perhaps all books can be read in function of the desire to belong, or the negation of that desire. To be part of or stop being part of a family, of a community, a country, of Chilean literature, a football team, a political party, a rock band, the fan club of a rock band, or at least a group of scouts. That’s what we write about when we’re given a free topic, and also when we think we are writing about love, death, travel, telegrams or suitcases with swivel wheels. That’s what we always talk about, seriously or in jest, in verse and in prose: belonging.” — Alejando Zambra, Not to Read
prguitarman
tangentwithtanner
turnnoffyourmind
origamiaround
