As we walk in the second year of the global pandemic, the gravity of its ripple effect on the economy and humanity has induced a damage that might take us longer to recover than was expected.
While most of the developed nations have somewhat recovered from the pandemic, and much of the population is vaccinated, some parts of the world are still struggling. Nepal, one of the developing nations that has a history of political instability and has a high dependency on the neighboring countries, India and China, is one of those hard-hit places.
The first wave of the pandemic wiped out countless numbers of small businesses in Nepal leaving behind the economic downfall in the nation. The second wave claimed countless numbers of human life. The country faced a national emergency with medical supplies and an oxygen shortage leaving the death toll hitting new heights every day. The condition effortlessly transformed to the worst-case scenario and created huge chaos in the silence of people mourning the loss of their loved ones.
Nepal, a country highly dependent on tourism and import, is facing a surge in economic distress among the marginalized workers as well as middle class groups. Numerous hotels have shut down over the years leading to huge layoffs. With no financial support from the government, people are struggling to afford their daily expenses and provide for their families. Over the past decade the country was racing towards development and modernization, but the global pandemic has dashed hopes of progress.
The vaccine is being distributed at a very slow pace in Nepal as there is a lack of management and coordination. Overly crowded vaccination centers with minimal precautionary measures only give fuel to new Covid-19 cases. While most of the elderly age groups have received the first and second dose of the vaccine, there is still a long way to go in terms of herd immunity. The Chinese vaccine has not been fully effective as a staggering number of people who received their vaccination have still caught the virus.
Nepal cannot afford being in a full lockdown as the country is already struggling economically, but on-the-other-hand, it cannot fully operate all its businesses as the number of Covid-19 cases are still on the rise. The condition of the country and the population is very critical. While the country is expecting a third wave with exposure to the Delta variant, the political situation trembles with a change of government. The country is still recovering from the first wave of pandemic, and it will take a lot longer than we expect to get over the second and third waves. Amidst the distress in the nation, people have adapted to the situation and adjusted their daily life accordingly, co-existing with the virus.
Image source: https://www.dw.com/en/nepal-coronavirus-second-wave/a-57461127