An explainer on the COVID-19 situation in India and how you can help

Here’s what you can do to lend a hand.

As you’ve probably heard, the COVID-19 situation in India is spiraling out of control. Recording as many as 400,000 COVID-19 cases a day, India is facing more coronavirus infections than any other country to date. The troubling part is that that is these are only the recorded cases and experts believe that these numbers are severely undercounted.

India’s capital, New Delhi, has a population of 20 million and now has a coronavirus positive rate of 36 per cent, when a month ago it was less than 3 per cent. Hospitals are swamped and unable to keep up with the rapidly increasing infection rates. Medicine and oxygen supplies are sparse, leaving the entire country in crisis.

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With cases only expected to rise (they’re projected to be at roughly 500,000 cases a day by August) this could leave as many as one million in India dead. India needs our help. If you’re looking for a place to get started, here is a breakdown of all the ways you can.

Research

Knowledge is power, and in this instance, knowledge will encourage you and others around you to act. Stay up to date with the case numbers, what aid is being provided, and learn more about the ongoing crisis. Share this information within your family and friend group, and encourage them to donate if they can.

Donate

The best way you can help India is by donating. This allows for resources and aid to be allocated across the country. Below, we’ve listed a range of organisations that are working to improve the dire situation.

United Nations organisations

UNICEF and the World Health Organisation are providing medical supplies to frontline health workers including personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, oxygen concentrators, diagnostic testing systems and other supplies.

Donate here.

Path

With over 200 people working in India, the Seattle-based not-for-profit focuses on providing access to oxygen, vaccines, and testing to accommodate to India’s urgent needs.

Donate here.

The International Medical Corps

The International Medical Corps (IMC) focuses on providing resources that strengthen India’s healthcare infrastructure. IMC also hopes to address misinformation and concerns around vaccines to help address this spike and any future outbreaks.

Donate here.

Care India

Care India has supplied over 39,000 PPE kits along with masks and other supplies.

Donate here.

The Association for India’s Development

An array of volunteers have partnered with not-for-profit organisations in India. Volunteers assist by distributing food and protective equipment around the country.

Donate here.

Project Hope

Supplying ICU equipment, ventilators, oxygen supplies and PPE, Project Hope is collaborating with government officials to ensure the most critical hospitals are allocated with resources.

Donate here.

Indian Red Cross Society

Volunteers are running blood drives, delivering aid and helping provide essential services across the country.

Donate here.

Youth Feed India and Helping Hands Charitable Trust

For a $13 donation, you can provide a food kit that will feed a family of four for 15 days.

Donate here.

GoFundMe Australia

If you want to help in a more personal way, you can support individual families by checking out the verified GoFundMe campaigns.

Donate here and here.

Raise awareness

If you can’t donate, spread awareness. Posting on social media is a small task, but it can have a profound impact. Most people source their news online, and by spreading awareness you could spark action in your followers. They may have the resources to donate if you cannot and if not, it can be the impetus for a conversation they may have with their friends and family.

Looking to learn more about the COVID situation in India? Click here to find out how it is impacting entire villages.