Coronavirus: This 98-year-old woman from Punjab stitches free masks for the poor

The coronavirus pandemic has the world grappling for a vaccine that can put a stop to the increasing number of cases. As of Wednesday, the world has reported more than 177,000 deaths with over 2.5 million positive cases, according to Worldometer, a real-time population tracker.

In attempts to maintain hygienic practices, the demand for masks and hand sanitisers have increased significantly, and once again, the underprivileged are the most affected who have limited to no means of getting the supplies. With increased demand and higher prices, there has been a severe dearth of these commodities in the market.

In light of the same, many individuals and NGOs are taking measures to provide the underprivileged with masks and hand sanitisers. Once such good samaritan is a 98-year-old woman from Moga, Punjab, who stitches masks for the needy.

Gurdev Kaur Dhaliwal wakes up every morning, finishes her morning prayers, and sits with her sewing machine from 8 am to 4 pm, stitching masks for the poor. These face masks act as the first line of defence against the virus and hence, have become a necessity in fighting the pandemic.

However, since these masks are relatively expensive, daily wage labourers and underprivileged are choosing not to wear them. Seeing this, Dhaliwal decided to stitch face masks for free and distribute it to these people, despite a blurry vision in one eye.

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“Several vegetable sellers in our area were not wearing masks. We told them to wear it to protect themselves from coronavirus, but they said they could not afford it. Then we decided to stitch masks and give it to them free of cost," Amarjit Kaur, Dhaliwal's daughter-in-law told PTI.

Lauding her efforts, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh tweeted referring to her as “the strong corona warrior of Punjab.”

In order to help Dhaliwal, many people are trying to contribute to the cause, as the need for masks is ever-increasing.

With a total of about 256 positive COVID-19 cases, Punjab has reported 16 deaths so far, while the nation’s death count has crossed 645. Punjab has made wearing face masks in public places a mandate in the state.

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