One year of lockdown: A tribute to our fallen heroes
A year since the pandemic took a toll on all our lives, we remember those fallen heroes who fought hard to win the war against the pandemic.
Early in March 2020, people across the world were running their daily schedules and even planning international trips for the summer. School children were all set to finish their exams and dive into their summer vacation. Unfortunately, on this day last year, everything took a turn for the world’s population.
The coronavirus had made its way to countries across the world. With the increasing number of positive cases and deaths, country leaders called for complete lockdowns in their respective nations. March 25th marks the day of the ‘Janata Curfew’ called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi across India.
The virus that could spread by physical contact required the entire population to stay within four walls. Meanwhile, with so much uncertainty around what the disease could do, governments across the world tried to curb the fast-spreading disease by implementing social distancing and other hygienic practices in public spaces.
In India, the situation turned quite dire. Once the lockdown was declared, many corporates laid off their employees. However, a huge population of migrant workers and daily wagers had nowhere to go with all transportation facilities shut down and no place of employment.
With nothing stopping them, the masses began to travel back to their villages thousands of miles away by foot. Police officials were on their toes to curb this situation within the cities and at the outskirts risking their lives to keep the people safe.
Meanwhile, another set of heroes worked tirelessly in hospitals as healthcare workers battled to control the spread of the virus. But in the fight against this virus, both sections suffered irreparable loss of life.
Today, more than 2.75 million have lost the battle against this disease. On the anniversary of the lockdown, SocialStory remembers some of these fallen heroes, and we pay our respects to all those who’ve fought hard.
Dr Simon Hercules
After fighting an intense COVID-19 battle, 55-year-old neurosurgeon Dr Simon Hercules from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, laid down his life on April 19, 2020. According to reports, they say that Dr Simon, who has treated hundreds of patients, was remembered for putting humanity first.
But what was heartbreaking is that his family couldn’t even give their last goodbyes. In fact, the locals of Kilpauk (Chennai) didn’t allow a proper burial for the doctor stating that it could spread the virus, not at the cemetery even. Finally, Dr Pradeep, Simon’s colleague, managed to bury him along with the officials late at night when the crowds were asleep.
Dr Devraj
At a time when it was believed that older people were more susceptible to the disease, 29-year-old Dr Devraj from Karnataka succumbed to COVID-19. The doctor who had a masters degree from the UK was said to be an expert in communicable diseases.
While on COVID-19 duty in rural Karnataka, he was tested positive and was on home quarantine where his condition worsened. He died while on the way to Tumkur District Hospital in September
Dr V Basavaraj
Another doctor from Karnataka, 40-year-old Dr Basavaraj was actively involved in screening and treating COVID-19 patients. The orthopaedic doctor who worked in Bengaluru’s ESI hospital was in home quarantine for four days and lost his life in October.
Dr Manjunath
Dr Manjunath ST was active on the frontline when it came to COVID-19. However, things turned dark when three hospitals refused to take him in for treatment because the results of his COVID-19 test hadn’t come yet. At the time, hospitals were supposed to take in patients even without the test report considering the increasing number of cases.
He was finally admitted to Dayananda Sagar College for treatment but was shifted to the Bangalore Medical College, where he died on July 27.
Dr Joginder Chaudhary
Delhi-based Dr Joginder Chaudhary tested positive for the virus in June. The 27-year-old doctor worked at the Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital. However, his treatment involved the doctors of the hospital’s association of Lok Nayak Hospital (LNJP Hospital) and the BSA doctors' association.
His father, a 51-year-old farmer pleaded his case before the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, which finally bore the cost of the treatment. However, to everybody’s dismay, he succumbed to the disease a month later.
Blessy Thomas
Indian Expat nurse Blessy Thomas was working in Oman at the Royal Hospital died of the virus in September, and also became the first death recorded by the Ministry of Health in Oman, who also called her a ‘true hero’ for her tireless efforts.
Ambika PK
Ambika PK was the first among the nursing staff in Delhi to have died due to COVID-19 related complications. She was on ventilator support at Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi and succumbed to the disease in May.
Originally from Kerala’s Kottayam district, Ambika worked as a nurse at the Kalra Hospital for more than 12 years.
Solson Savior
A nurse from India working in Ireland, Solson Savior was working at the Gowran Abbey Nursing Home in County Kilkenny. Being in his thirties, Solson’s death came as a shock to his colleagues, who couldn’t believe that some that young could succumb to the disease.
To the residents of the Nursing Home, Solson was a kind and gentle nurse who was definitely going to be badly missed.
Joan Mary Priscilla
A nurse in her late fifties, Joan Mary Priscilla was about to take her retirement but decided to return to the hospital because COVID-19 duty called. The nursing superintendent of Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, Chennai spent two months nursing those diagnosed with COVID-19.
In May, she contracted the disease and lost her life in the battle, before she could enjoy the retirement that she was looking forward to.
Representational image (Source: Freepik)
VP Ajithan
55-year-old VP Ajithan was the first police officer in Kerala who died of coronavirus disease. The sub-inspector of Police in Idukki died of a cardiac arrest after being tested positive for COVID-19, despite being exempted from COVID-19 duty, due to his heart condition.
Ramesh Nagare
Mumbai-based assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Ramesh Nangare or Dharavi’s COVID Hero had a cardiac arrest earlier this month after taking the second dose of the vaccine. While his death has no link to the COVID-19 disease or the vaccine, his work toward curbing the disease is remarkable.
It was no cakewalk controlling the spread of the coronavirus in Mumbai’s Dharavi. But the 55-year-old ACP played a pivotal role in distributing food, rations and hygiene kits to the people in the slums, keeping his duty a top priority.
Edited by Diya Koshy George