On 24 March 2020, India announced its first Covid lockdown, just as the world stood on the brink of a global pandemic that would claim millions of lives. India’s already fragile healthcare system collapsed under the pandemic’s weight. The World Health Organization estimated over 4.7 million Covid deaths in India – nearly 10 times the official count – but the government rejected the figure, citing flaws in the methodology. Five years later, BBC India journalists reflect on their experiences recounting how, at times, they became part of the story they were covering. Soutik Biswas, BBC News, recalls a summer day in 2021 when a school teacher’s husband was battling Covid in a Delhi hospital where oxygen was as scarce as hope. He describes the desperation and chaos as they scrambled for help, making calls, sending SOS messages, hoping someone might have a lead.
Source link
