Bereaved by the virus, ostracised by society
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Families of some people killed by COVID-19 say their neighbours are shunning them, have put a ‘corona’ stamp on their house; others face business losses, denial of groceries by local shops
The death of a loved one can leave a family with a profound sense of grief, struggling to come to terms with their loss, often managing to just about go on due to the kindness of those who surround them.
But now, in a cruel twist to such circumstances, even as some such kin are mourning the fact that a relative has succumbed to the novelcoronavirus disease (COVID-19) amid the outbreak, they are also being forced to grapple with ostracisation by their neighbours and local shopkeepers.
Across areas, while residents of the vicinity have cut off ties with bereaved families of COVID-19 fatalities, some nearby store owners are also refusing to give them groceries.
“Till just 15 days ago, our neighbours spoke to us almost every day. However now, whenever they see any member of our family, they quickly shut their doors and windows,” said a 35-year-old man, who lost his 55-year-old father to COVID-19 early this month.
His parent had been diagnosed with pneumonia after he was admitted toSassoon General Hospitals on April 4; there, his tests for COVID-19 also came in positive — and within days, he lost his life on April 9.
Unfortunately, his family could not even attend his last rites, as they were all being kept under 14 days of quarantine since the older man’s reports were found to be positive for the SARSCoV-2 virus.
“After tests for the rest of our family came in negative, we went back home. And that very moment, we found a change in the attitude of some of our neighbours. When we stepped out of the vehicle, they slammed their doors shut. I felt horrible — we were being treated as if we had committed some unpardonable sin or crime,” rued the young vegetable vendor.
Moreover, he is also facing a threat to his livelihood. The son stated that he has decided to take a break from his business, as he fears customers will avoid him anyway. “I sell vegetables and my brother sells fruit. After the death of my father, we could not go to the market. Recently, I learnt that my brother’s business partner was asked to stop coming to the market as he had come in contact with our family. If my brother’s partner is facing this ostracisation, just imagine how we will be treated if we decide to restart work tomorrow,” he told Mirror.
While narrating their plight, he also made it clear that not all their neighbours are treating them ill. “There are some people from our own community who have started distancing themselves from us even though we have tested negative for COVID-19. However, there are some neighbours who may be from other communities, but have shown sympathy towards us,” he said.
Like him, grieving families in other parts of Pune are facing a similar reaction from their localities. For instance, a 31-year-old electrician, who lost his mother atSassoon hospital on April 12 while she was undergoing treatment for COVID-19, said he feels like he has a target on his back. “All other members of our family tested negative for coronavirus. I am still clueless as to how my mother contracted COVID-19. While we will take time to comprehend her absence in our lives, we are simultaneously coping with the changed attitude of neighbours, who have started looking at us with doubts,” the young man said.
He further elaborated that their house is now being identified as the “coronavirus hub” of the neighbourhood. “When relatives of ours came to offer condolences, residents guided them to us by calling it the ‘corona house’. The virus not only took away my mother but also left a big blot on our family,” he broke down.
Besides this, local shops are also ostracising the family. The man narrated that the lockdown has halted his work, and with limited funds in hand now, rations are also becoming elusive for another reason. “Shopkeepers in our vicinity are not giving us groceries, thinking we also are infected by COVID-19. We are telling everybody that we have tested negative, but most of them seem to be gripped by unshakeable fear,” he summed up.
The death of a loved one can leave a family with a profound sense of grief, struggling to come to terms with their loss, often managing to just about go on due to the kindness of those who surround them.
But now, in a cruel twist to such circumstances, even as some such kin are mourning the fact that a relative has succumbed to the novel
Across areas, while residents of the vicinity have cut off ties with bereaved families of COVID-19 fatalities, some nearby store owners are also refusing to give them groceries.
Pune district has recorded 813 coronavirus cases till now, while the numbers in the state are as high as 5,218. Since citizens have to bear the albatross of COVID-19 for quite some time yet, it falls upon those unaffected by the virus to express empathy for families of victims
“Till just 15 days ago, our neighbours spoke to us almost every day. However now, whenever they see any member of our family, they quickly shut their doors and windows,” said a 35-year-old man, who lost his 55-year-old father to COVID-19 early this month.
His parent had been diagnosed with pneumonia after he was admitted to
Unfortunately, his family could not even attend his last rites, as they were all being kept under 14 days of quarantine since the older man’s reports were found to be positive for the SARSCoV-2 virus.
“After tests for the rest of our family came in negative, we went back home. And that very moment, we found a change in the attitude of some of our neighbours. When we stepped out of the vehicle, they slammed their doors shut. I felt horrible — we were being treated as if we had committed some unpardonable sin or crime,” rued the young vegetable vendor.
Moreover, he is also facing a threat to his livelihood. The son stated that he has decided to take a break from his business, as he fears customers will avoid him anyway. “I sell vegetables and my brother sells fruit. After the death of my father, we could not go to the market. Recently, I learnt that my brother’s business partner was asked to stop coming to the market as he had come in contact with our family. If my brother’s partner is facing this ostracisation, just imagine how we will be treated if we decide to restart work tomorrow,” he told Mirror.
While narrating their plight, he also made it clear that not all their neighbours are treating them ill. “There are some people from our own community who have started distancing themselves from us even though we have tested negative for COVID-19. However, there are some neighbours who may be from other communities, but have shown sympathy towards us,” he said.
Like him, grieving families in other parts of Pune are facing a similar reaction from their localities. For instance, a 31-year-old electrician, who lost his mother at
He further elaborated that their house is now being identified as the “coronavirus hub” of the neighbourhood. “When relatives of ours came to offer condolences, residents guided them to us by calling it the ‘corona house’. The virus not only took away my mother but also left a big blot on our family,” he broke down.
Besides this, local shops are also ostracising the family. The man narrated that the lockdown has halted his work, and with limited funds in hand now, rations are also becoming elusive for another reason. “Shopkeepers in our vicinity are not giving us groceries, thinking we also are infected by COVID-19. We are telling everybody that we have tested negative, but most of them seem to be gripped by unshakeable fear,” he summed up.
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