According to the latest estimates, more than 350,000 people in India have been diagnosed as having COVID every day for the past several days. Some experts estimate half a billion people in India have been infected with the coronavirus. The capacity of beds in ICUs and oxygen for the sick in hospitals is already exhausted, and people are being turned away from health care facilities by the thousands.
Many experts consider India an emergent economy. They have said that all roads lead to India. Today, we can say with certainty all eyes should be on India, with a look of concern and solidarity. The Indian variant of COVID is a great concern for the scientific community, and the world is watching what is unfolding with consternation.
We would like to put out a call during this time of crisis to all who have ways to create awareness around the reality of COVID in India to spread this news, and to create an alliance of solidarity and compassion to effectively and immediately support the Indian people.
The call to help India is not an isolated call. There is also a call to help Brazil, Iraq, Poland… and any region of the world where members of our human family are being devastated by this pandemic.
Some reports say the demand for vaccines in the U.S. is less than the number of available vaccines. We are currently the only country of the planet who can say that. This is not a privilege; rather, it is a great responsibility. We need to continue vaccinations here, to encourage people to get vaccinated, and then to help the world - especially countries with fewer resources - to be able to acquire the vaccines they need.
Our call for solidarity today is a Vincentian call, and is echoed by Pope Francis who has said, “Solidarity is the new name of Charity."
Solidarity is the best of us. Solidarity is the way in which we defeat indifference and exclusive self-reference.
Today, we embrace the Indian community at DePaul as they look at their country with concern, longing, sadness… know you are not alone. Let us create a chain of solidarity now. Our call is for all of us to overcome indifference and to embrace the challenges of being members of just one human family. In this family, we need each other. Life, human life too, only survives in its essential interconnection.