Beyond borders: NRI Bengalureans talk on anxiety brought by COVID-19

BENGALURU : Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Saahas Patil may be miles away from India, but the deadly second wave of COVID19 infections has given him sleepless nights. "I have been barely sleeping 4-5 hours a day because I'm worried about my mother and sister who are back home in Bengaluru," says Patil, who moved to the USA in 2015.

"There's a creeping sense of reality with this wave. You don't even have to actively track the number of cases or deaths to know it's bad, I've been hearing of the struggle from my friends. A junior of mine from school passed away due to COVID and that was a shock because we're the same age," says the 31-year-old, who has been relying on regular therapy, among other things, to cope better.

Patil is not alone. Bengalureans in different parts of the world are wracked by anxiety as they watch the situation play out from afar. Roshini R, who is pursuing her Masters in Münster, Germany, finds herself feeling helpless.

"I think it has bothered me more than what I would have experienced being in Bengaluru. This is mainly because I'm away from my family and loved ones and I just don't know what the exact situation is," she says. For Anoshka Jhaveri, the anxiety has led to her staying in touch with her parents and sisters more often, sometimes multiple times a day.

"My father was to get his first dose of the vaccine but there were no slots available," says the animator based in Vancouver, Canada. With everyone knowing someone who has been affected or lost a loved one - people's fears have increased.

"If something were to happen, I can't even rely on beds or other help being available," says the 24-year-old. While panic persists, those abroad are also finding ways to help.

Niranjan Setty, a pulmonologist in the UK, put out a tweet offering medical advice on COVID-19 management at home. "I would have loved to come back home to Bengaluru but since that is not possible, I am trying my best to help from here. About 80-90 per cent of people have mild symptoms but a fever or cough, especially now, can lead to anxiety. So I try to assist and reassure people who reach out to me. In some cases, they ask me for a second opinion," says Setty.

Now, he sleeps at 2am instead of 10.30pm as he tries to respond to everyone who contacts him on Twitter. Jhaveri too has been doing her bit, and has donated money to two patients. The intention is to keep the effort going as and when she comes across more people in need.

While artists in India have held fundraising concerts, Patil says, "I haven't planned any yet but it's something I would love to do in LA to help people in Bengaluru." Setty, perhaps, sums up these efforts best: "We may be in different countries but we're all in this together."