Pandemic Plentiful...too Little, too Late (?)

       Familiar themes to us all. We have all found ourselves on either side of the equation. Themes that take on a greater significance depending on the gravity of the situation, of which there have been too many  to enumerate here, from the past year in particular. Earlier in the pandemic, we witnessed shortages in PPE's, ventilators, and other lifesaving devices in ICU's and ER's and, while less acutely life threatening, a shortage of TP and other household goods on the shelves. Partly due to supply issues, partly to hoarding. In the case of PPE's, while the supply to health care workers eventually 'stabilized' (still way less than perfect), it was only after they had endured a surge, during which they had to get creative, stretch the life of a PPE way beyond its design, and otherwise expose themselves to more risk than they ever imagined. 

Actions, Inactions: By the government officials, NGO's (as frequently referenced on BBC: "Non-Government Organizations", such as non-profits organized by private citizens), industry, and others among us..."...they over-reacted...shut down too much, too soon, and it's ruining our economy..." "...they should have seen this coming, they didn't shut things down soon enough and look at the results..." "...She didn't believe this thing was real until she got it, and now it's too late to help her..." "South Africa is clamping down on corruption and high-level looting of COVID-19 relief fund...but it's too little reform, too late..." The latter was accompanied by commentary regarding South Africa's 27 years as a "constitutional democracy" often being being characterized by political graft, including when its citizens were otherwise preoccupied with a pandemic (they are not alone, of course). 

Real Time, running out: Just within the past few days, you can't escape the headlines regarding the terrible toll COVID-19 is taking on the residents of India, where the actions/inactions of government have been in part to blame for the unprecedented disease and associated death count. Ranging from the "mixed messages about the pandemic gave the Indian public a false sense of security..." to not having the hospital system prepared for a massive emergency, especially the life sustaining oxygen (news this morning included an article about an individual who attempted to obtain oxygen for his ailing grandfather via twitter and was arrested as a result). Perhaps the most morbid shortage as an indicator of the magnitude of the disaster, was a headline from this morning's newsfeed: "Virus swallowing people in India; crematoriums overwhelmed" accompanied by sordid details and photographs of extremely ill people awaiting hospital beds (there are none available throughout the whole country as I write this) and and what appears to be an endless line of makeshift funeral pyres and outdoor crematoriums...We all want to turn our faces away and hold our noses, while other articles have accused our own government as well as those of other 'lands of plenty' as hoarding supplies and not coming to their aid soon enough. 

Adding Insult to Injury: Where some countries received a sizeable allotment of vaccines, but did not have either an effective distribution network, or the final authorization was tied up in a bureaucratic web. And, in the case of India, an irony that is sadder than any I've encountered in recent times: "India is the world's largest vaccine producer, but the nation is running out of supplies to make life-saving doses for its own people".

Sharing, Caring: As I began I'll finish, with our collective awareness of being on both sides of this equation, at various times in our respective lives. Hopefully, as we find ourselves on the 'plenty', side we will be inclined to reach out in one way or another.