How India went from a ray of hope to world record for most Covid cases in a day
This article notes that opposition political parties are trying to leverage the new wave of cases to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but that just seems like an opportunist political tactic. Reading this article and others, this situation sounds like bad luck and tough circumstances more than anything else. Some of the approaches being taken there seem far more restrictive than anything I&#x27;ve seen in the US:<p>&gt; For example, apartment buildings where people test positive for the coronavirus have been sealed off, with no one allowed to enter or exit. Police patrol their perimeter. In India&#x27;s two biggest cities, Mumbai and Delhi, local lockdowns are already in place. Only essential travel is allowed, with a permit. Everyone except for front-line workers have been told to work from home. Residents aren&#x27;t allowed to go for a stroll or jog, or they&#x27;ll be fined.<p>It seems that Modi previously had announced a charitable policy of exporting half of India&#x27;s vaccine doses to other countries that need it. One article (<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;indianexpress.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;opinion&#x2F;indias-vaccine-complacency-costs-at-home-globally-7273501&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;indianexpress.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;opinion&#x2F;indias-vaccine-com...</a>) notes that over 60 million doses have been exported, and 52 million were administered to Indians. Another article (<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;timesofindia.indiatimes.com&#x2F;blogs&#x2F;jugglebandhi&#x2F;vexing-diplomacy-by-exporting-anti-virus-vaccines-to-90-countries-india-wins-bouquets-abroad-and-brickbats-at-home-f0-9f-98-8a&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;timesofindia.indiatimes.com&#x2F;blogs&#x2F;jugglebandhi&#x2F;vexin...</a>) notes that India even donated vaccines at no charge to some countries. I&#x27;m sure Modi is facing immense pressure to focus on Indians first, and some articles note that they&#x27;ve temporarily paused exports, but their export approach hardly seems like it deserves blame as much as applause.<p>India is the world&#x27;s largest vaccine producer, and while they pursue a charitable strategy, they&#x27;re themselves facing export constraints from countries like the US. India&#x27;s Serum Institute (world&#x27;s largest vaccine manufacturer) has asked Joe Biden to relax export constraints for vaccine components (<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;apnews.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;joe-biden-global-trade-india-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-50f18d8be1711d11744db710cfbb4c92" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;apnews.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;joe-biden-global-trade-india-coro...</a>). While many are using this moment to find a way to critique India&#x27;s handling of the virus, it makes me feel bad as an American to see others attempt to be generous leaders for the world while we do the opposite. I don&#x27;t think anyone is &quot;evil&quot; for putting their nation first - but putting COVID to rest requires we eradicate it worldwide.