My dear Awaas family

 When I left you on 2nd March to return to England, I heard news of the enormous number of people dying in China, and the thousands affected as the virus spread to Italy, I asked Kavita Madam if we could protect you, the Awaas family of senior citizens. We decided that you, dear people, should be locked in for your protection. There was still the danger that cleaning and catering staff from outside the campus could bring the virus in to Awaas.  It was what is called ‘a calculated risk’. You have been locked in for 3 weeks now. While the virus was mainly confined to large towns you were safe.  

  

India regards China as a rival in industrial growth and population size and does not have close ties with China. Unlike Italy where there were direct flights from China, including Wuhan, the town at the centre of the outbreak. The link was the textile industry. As Chinese became wealthier they became tourists and Italy which has many beautiful historic cities. Many Chinese working in Italy went home for Chinese New Year and unknowingly returned with the virus. Italian universities and colleges closed and students went home to their families in other parts of Italy, taking the virus with them. Shops and factories were closed and those with summer residences or relatives outside the lockdown area,  went there, spreading the virus. To date 100.000 have been infected, and 10,000 have died. Spain and Italy together,have by today, had 20,000 deaths. Doctors are having to decide on who to treat. Only younger people, with a good chance of surviving, are given ventilators for the month it takes to recover. 

The main problem is how to tackle this new Corona virus called Covid 19. There are no vaccines against it and no drugs to cure it. All we and our medical staff can do is to limit the number of people who can catch it and give symptom relieving pain killers. Hospitals can provide oxygen and special apparatus that breathes for you, if they have it, if you can afford to be treated, or if you can get to one of the hospitals giving free treatment. 

Some unscrupulous people have been selling ‘cures’ and putting false information on the internet. Like saying that eating garlic will kill the virus. If that were true do you think that more than 200,000 people worldwide would have been allowed by doctors to die? 

 Countries with the best health systems are having to order car factory engineers to make breathing apparatus, build emergency hospitals, recruit retired staff to return to work, use the army to help and ask everyone who is not an essential worker to stay at home.   

India has now also asked everyone to stay at home. You know many have no home and no work and no food. They can’t isolate. 

You now have to decide if you, as a group, can stay isolated from your caring staff.  

They have families, elderly parents, children and husbands who need protecting. They do not have running hot water, separate bathrooms and toilets, safe places to walk and they cannot easily stay a safe distance apart from their neighbours. They are young and have children. They are more resistant to the virus and have an 80% chance of recovery.  

What would you and Suraj and the gate boy, (sorry I can't remember his name) have to do?  

You would have to cooperate and do the work that the staff have done for you.  

You will have to clean your own rooms 

You will have to do you own laundry. 

You will have to clean floors and hand rails in communal area like main hall, dining room, stairs and corridors. 

You will have to help pick vegetables, prepare vegetables and help in the kitchen.  

You will have to lay tables, distribute water, wipe tables after meals and clear plates and do washing up. 

The gardens will need watering and fruit and vegetables picking. 

All these jobs will need doing but you also have to have time to rest, to exercise, to watch TV, read books, listen to music, and to pray and contact your friends and relations.  

This letter and its message will be a shock to many of you.  

Nothing like this virus has hit the whole world before. 

We all have to fight it and overcome it.  

  

Hold meetings to discuss and agree ways in which you all can help one another survive this Covid 19 virus.  

I am thinking of you all and want to help you survive.   

 .