Can we please ask ourselves if we got rid of the coronavirus by clinging taali and thali in March 2020 when Janata curfew was announced by the Pradhan sewak in his address to the nation? I believe matters could have been way different had we reacted responsibly to the vaccination drive against Covid-19 that kickstarted on January 16, 2021. Everyone amongst us felt so excited and entertained as though the vaccine was the final saviour in our battle against the deadly mutating strain of virus wrecking havoc.
Serum Institute of India in Pune and Hyderabad’s Bharat Biotech took the pioneering lead in developing Covid vaccines and filling our chest with patriotism and pride. We illustrated our pride in public displays of emotions, sentiments and humour by uploading selfies after receiving the jabs to encourage and advise all those who were reluctant to get themselves inoculated.
The first shots of Covaxin and Covishield created a distinguishing difference, with people taking turns in valourising the vaccine, and giving up on wearing the masks and maintaining proper physical distancing. Who were to blame if our representatives and leaders became so passive that bringing the awareness of Covid-appropriate behaviour became a challenging. Had the leaders persuaded their roles carefully and creatively, then matters could have been kept under the watch.
Alas, forget about learning the lesson, but even basic discipline and decorum are missing from the scene. So what if cases are ascending sharply? Nobody has their ears to the ground and everybody is choosing to fly only higher. But as a mark of goodwill, vaccines are being sent abroad by our very own nationalist government by denying us with the equity and vaccine as we already have strong anti-bodies within us. Satires and stereotypes have been a part and parcel of our political expression, articulation and imagination, making procedures and processes complete. Purely and plainly.