Dear Friends,
These are crazy times. The second wave of COVID19 is rising rapidly. As recently as early late February and early March, there were no COVID19 patients in our hospital. We were non-COVID since there was a sense that the worst was behind us, and that the vaccinations would take us through.
In March, the second wave of COVID as hit the nation. The lessons of other nations have shown us that the second wave does return. India is no exception. Our hospital staff has once again ramped us to create 410 beds for COVID care.
Our doctors, nurses, ward staff, housekeeping crew, cleaning teams, administrative staff, security staff, project staff are working round the clock to treat those affected by the disease. The challenges are extraordinary, and what you read in the newspapers, our hospital staff is experiencing first hand.
Our responsibility is to ensure that we are not a burden on this already over-stretched infrastructure. The best way to do this, is to always wear masks and to maintain a healthy social distance whether or not there is a lock-down in effect.
For those of us above the age of 45, we must get vaccinated. For those below 45, you must help your older family members go get the vaccine.
There are people worried about taking the vaccinations. At this point, we are safer with the vaccinations, individually and as a society. The K J Somaiya Hospital and Research Centre has created a centre for vaccinations at the K J Somaiya College of Physiotherapy.
There are personal tragedies all around us. This virus is affecting many of us directly. Let us do our best to slow and eventually remove this virus from our lives.
Stay safe and stay healthy.
I end with a prayer:
सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामया,
सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद् दुख भागभवेत।
ऊँ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः
अर्थ - "सभी सुखी होवें, सभी रोगमुक्त रहें, सभी मंगलमय घटनाओं के साक्षी बनें और किसी को भी दुःख का भागी न बनना पड़े।"
Translation from Wikipedia
