India recorded over 1.61 lakh fresh coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours. (Representational)
India on Monday overtook Brazil as the country with the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world after the United States. This morning, the caseload surged to 1,36,89,453 after 1.61 lakh fresh cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, as per the government data.
Experts have repeatedly stressed on the use of masks and adherence to Covid protocols to check the spread of infection. Yet many in the country are still not realising their social responsibility and why it's important for their own safety and safety of others around them.
On Monday, exactly the same point was made by a doctor; the tweet received an overwhelming response.
"Please, please wear masks. I don't know about other people but I'm physically and mentally exhausted with crazy shifts and calling more deaths than I did in all my years of service combined. If you still don't care, please go inside COVID units as my proxy. Thanks," wrote Dr Dipshikha Ghosh.
Many social media users expressed their gratitude. Enquiring if the second wave had intensified, one user wrote, "So, it starts again?"
To this Dr Ghosh replied, "It started weeks ago. Nobody bothered. They won't be bothered till one person in every family is affected. Practising preventative medicine is impossible here. People just don't get it. Idk if it's complete disregard for public health or low IQ."
Another user replied to her post saying, "So sorry to hear this Dipshikha".
Dr Ghosh explained that the situation was "heartbreaking". "It's just heartbreaking... Breaking news of death to family members over the phone and hearing them scream and howl in shock and grief is the hardest thing I've ever had to sit through..."
A Twitter user, who is also a pathologist as per her bio, shared her own experience.
She wrote, "The fallout of this pandemic has truly been so bad! I'm a resident, I haven't touched my books in a year, our department is "understaffed" which means they are holding funds in case of a crisis. I have been on call 4 nights a week in addition to covid duty."
One post read: "She is 100% right. I am just out of an ICU and can vouch for these... Residents toiling night n day. For God's sake, they can be your kids. Don't be ungrateful."
Apologising for the carelessness of a large number of people, a user wrote, "First off Dipshikha, as an ordinary citizen we can only apologize to you for being so insensitive. I have several doc friends. Some have been jabbed 2X yet got infected. They are unable to hug & kiss their children for months now, emotionally distraught. I have lost 11 ppl in 1yr."
Dr Ghosh's tweet was shared widely as people talked about "lockdown", pandemic and "hope".
One user commented: "Lockdown or no lockdown... We need to restrain ourselves. Please follow protocols. Masks are the only solution. And not just for the initial 5 minutes of your meetings."
Many states in the country have re-imposed restrictions to ensure Covid protocols are followed.