Bhubaneswar: It has been more than one and half years since the deadly Covid-19 pandemic gripped the world. The century’s biggest health crisis has changed the life for all. While the governments all over the world are trying their best to fight the pandemic, each and every individual is contributing to the cause of mitigating the health challenge. We have seen weeks and months of shutdown and lockdown paralyzing the day-to-day affairs of the common man as well as the rich and poor.
During these days of crisis, frontline workers have come as the saviors. Healthcare professionals, police personnel, media, emergency workers etc., have played their vital role in fighting the pandemic and saving the lives of people. While the fight continues against the deadly virus, there are silent warriors who never get the recognition but their role can never be undervalued. While we keep on distinguishing the frontline workers and the governments take special care for them, the sufferings of the silent victims goes unnoticed. As we strongly support and appreciate the role of Covid warriors, through this analysis NewsroomOdisha tries to bring forth the intricacies of the common silent warriors and pay them the deserving tributes for their loyalty to mankind.
In our fight against the pandemic, in addition to the frontline workers who have showed a brave face during all these days, there are certain sections of the society that did not come to the front but were equally responsive. Farmers, teachers, forces that safeguarded our borders, mechanics who kept our vehicles running, the numerous people who helped families get their requirements of day to day needs and a whole lot of others who have just made significant contributions remained as the silent warriors. Thanks to the street corner fruit seller, because of whom we could get some fruits during the tough lockdowns. He did not care for his own self but catered for the needs of the people. Thanks to the milkman for giving us the milk to feed our children during the shutdown. Their selfless works kept us safe. We could get our daily doses of medicines as the people working in the medicine stores did not think of their own health but ours. There are tremendous examples of selfless sacrifices in our society.
One such example that needs mentioning here belongs to a government official who has never been a frontline worker but his work was equally important. For one person, working in I&PR department for disseminating crucial information regarding Covid to the people, it was life as usual, but the deadly Covid virus took the toll of his brother. He was on his way for the last rites of his brother and in the middle of the journey got a call from the office to join the official work. His duty was bigger for him and hence he thought of completing it first rather than reaching to his dead brother’s place. He was not a frontline worker but still played an important role in dissemination important government information. He is a silent warrior like many others. Another such example of sacrifice is of Debidutta Rath of Berhampur Odisha. During the lockdown and shutdown period, Devidutta was busy helping some of the orphanages in Ganjam with essential supplies. But the writing was different for him. He was diagnosed with Covid virus and succumbed after few days. He had a 15 days old daughter who was orphaned due to Covid. Salutes to his sacrifice but he was not a frontline worker. He was working for the mankind.
The more than six months of lockdown and shutdowns during the pandemic have crippled the economic ability of many families. Those dependent on their income through small road side shops and eateries have lost their livelihoods badly. For Pratima Sarkar, a resident of Cuttack, the interruptions to her livelihoods cannot be compensated for years. She had a food stall mostly catering to the daily workers and poor people. During the lockdowns she lost her income and the ability to sustain her family. More than that, the poor people who were coming to her stall for the cheap and delicious food, also remained devoid of that. Pratima was a silent warrior. She did not want any recognition to be in the forefront.
These are real life stories that show us how the silent warriors helped our society cope-up to the Covid crisis. Today, while we are thankful to the frontline workers, more than that the silent sufferers need out empathy. Their contribution can never be ignored.