Is the predicament of India due to the second wave of the virus or due to poor performance of the Central Government?

CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana — Sat, 08 May 2021 04:06:27 -0400

Last year (2020), after Covid-19 spread from Wuhan in China across Europe, Americas, Africa, Middle East and Asia like a hurricane or typhoon, India jumped to provide vaccine to affected nations, including the U.S., Brazil, UK, South Africa, Italy, Spain, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the Maldives. Modi also delivered vaccine to East and West Africa, among other allies. The Central Government didn't plan for such a devastating second wave, which includes the 'Double Mutant' and other fast-spreading variants. Today, India is short of vaccine, oxygen and beds in medical treatment facilities. India is having to rely on return favors at a time when confirmed cases and deaths are surging due to the Covid-19 infection. Was India prepared for this second wave of Covid-19 or is poor performance, bad decisions, politics and diplomacy to blame for this brilliant turnaround?

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made May 8 at 2021 5:57 AM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Sat, 08 May 2021 05:57:35 -0400

I suspect a combination of the two.

Response by MSG Greg Kelly made May 8 at 2021 6:18 AM

MSG Greg Kelly — Sat, 08 May 2021 06:18:03 -0400

yes both

Response by Sgt Vance Bonds made May 8 at 2021 7:41 AM

Sgt Vance Bonds — Sat, 08 May 2021 07:41:20 -0400

I believe both

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made May 8 at 2021 9:18 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Sat, 08 May 2021 09:18:40 -0400

I would suspect Demographics of India make it harder to control. High population density and many household still multi generational, and lack of access to medical care in much of rural India.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made May 8 at 2021 11:43 AM

SSG Edward Tilton — Sat, 08 May 2021 11:43:35 -0400

For months they did not leave st deaths as due to COVID. The spread was not counted, but it spread anyway. Now it is coming down on them. Same in Brazil and a few others. Not sure we are even in the top five

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made May 8 at 2021 1:21 PM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Sat, 08 May 2021 13:21:51 -0400

I think the bigger problem in India is historic. They traditionally spend a pitifully low amount of money on medical infrastructure. Their entire medical system is woefully unprepared for this, regardless of anything the central government did or did not do for the past year.

That is not to say they could not have made better decisions or taken better steps in the last year, just that I believe they would be in a similar position right now, regardless of what the government had done.

Of course 90% of the cases and 85% of the deaths is FAR better than 100% - especially for that 10% / 15% and their families.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made May 8 at 2021 1:32 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Sat, 08 May 2021 13:32:26 -0400

India, Indonesia, Brazil and others deliberately under counted COVID deaths, blaming whatever else might explain the deaths. That allowed the virus to grow exponentially and it finally collapsed not a pile of bricks. America was never first. Numbers are numbers and not solutions. Like body count in Vietnam.

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made May 8 at 2021 2:05 PM

Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen — Sat, 08 May 2021 14:05:44 -0400

Probably a little of both.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made May 8 at 2021 3:05 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Sat, 08 May 2021 15:05:47 -0400

It's both. COVID has been hard on everyone but that plus their already weak infrastructure created a perfect storm.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2021 3:25 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 May 2021 15:25:12 -0400

They have isolated over 700 variants of Covid in India.

Response by SPC Cathy Goessman made May 8 at 2021 7:09 PM

SPC Cathy Goessman — Sat, 08 May 2021 19:09:14 -0400

At least some of it is cultural and just the general living conditions in India. Even while the virus is raging people are crowded together in almost all of the pictures I see. Even the vaccination clinics! Properly worn medical masks are the last line of defense and aren't even really a good one in crowded conditions. A loose bandana or a mask around the chin is nothing. Staying home and social distancing are much more effective. People don't distance themselves there even by a foot let alone the 6-10 ft recommended as a MINIMUM.

India was bound to blow up like this eventually. Too many people in too small an area and a culture that thinks nothing of standing directly next to someone with no gap.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2021 7:23 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 May 2021 19:23:46 -0400

I suspect it has something to do with the government of India reporting much lower numbers trying to make themselves look good

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2021 8:19 PM

SP5 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 May 2021 20:19:04 -0400

Both.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made May 8 at 2021 8:45 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Sat, 08 May 2021 20:45:28 -0400

Medical authorities who decide to blame deaths on anything but COVID , in doing so they widen the spread. Works for a while then explodes. Most of the countries mentioned have more casualties than US

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made May 8 at 2021 11:22 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Sat, 08 May 2021 23:22:22 -0400

I think it's far simpler than any of that. India lacks proper sanitation all over the country. The lower castes would be incredibly susceptible to any and all illnesses because of this. Couple this situation with the alleged infectious nature of the virus, and one has a perfect storm. Now, this isn't to say it's further complicated by a lack of proper planning and management, nor does it discount the variability of the virus, but we must be honest and understand that India has several issues that have been there forever and only provide fertile grou d for a terrible wave of the virus.