really wish you write more about it ...please get started love to read your mind.
just to add one point ...it took me hours to convince my parents to get vaccine shots as the propaganda against vaccine is very strong , if people have taken vaccines when they asked to take some of the lives might get saved
Vaccine hesitancy is a big problem worldwide....but yes always start with your loved ones and work outwards from that to do your bit to help with the crisis.
In fact India it is overall less the case (Shekhar gupta had good episode on it with some data). It is extremely strong here in North America for example....I would say at least 30% but could be up to 50% significant hesitancy...I dont know if its more than that (certainly is among younger folks I feel).
W.r.t India It is just very pathetic that most models predicted a 2nd wave coming at pretty much exact time it started here (w.r.t time since peak of 1st wave in 2020).....yet there was still things like mass-religious gatherings, election rallies, IPL and all other kind of crowds allowed to happen.
I can understand argument for work-related and basic services etc....but at 50% vax rate (one dose) for 60+ agegroup so far, we could not afford to be complacent till rest 50% are majority squared away too with at least one shot.
But a big "chalta hai" complacency set in and most Indians have affinity/habit to gather to begin with in high population density areas to begin with.
Then the usual souless lifeless characters in media and social media (both local and world) having field day with all the extreme sensationalism and tragedy-anecdote reel well past what is needed. Some take a sick pleasure in this I bet you.
I understand we should not downplay anything and flesh it all out so adequate pressure is put on those with power (that got us into this mess along with usual society habits) to do something to help......but some have taken it way too far and dismiss a lot of the growing response and some numbers stabilising and receding too in parts of affected country.
As many people and resources need to be put to addressing the "didnt prepare + responded late" situation here....and that also needs some level of the non-useful manufactured hysteria/panic to go away so they can do their job and have morale.
This same thing happened in lot of countries in 1st wave intensity wise (in media etc)...and they are suppsedly far more developed than India. It is something in human society and politics that produces this in times of crisis more than it should.
Anyway let us see.
www.bbc.com
www.theguardian.com
