The logarithmic top blue line representing world cases of Covid-19 infections flattened a little the last three months, but the total population numbers of infections is still rising fast. India and Pakistan are being hit hard, and the medical system hasn’t been able to keep up with the case load. Unfortunately those populations are concentrated so social distancing isn’t available for most of those people. Vaccines are not available in large enough quantities to stop, or even slow, the infection rate very much so the only really effective protection is good quality face masks. I have noticed on the BBC-TV that many Indians are wearing masks, but many are not.

The overall prediction for India and Pakistan is grim for the coming months.

I did collect some face masks locally here in Bend, Oregon, with the intent of sending them to India, but local infections spiked, so I gave fifty to the local homeless shelter, and over a hundred to the local cafes and coffee shops for some protection for the workers and clients. That is tiny compared to the world problem, but it was something. Unfortunately, my county, Deschutes, as has been graphed above for over a year, has had a noticeable rise in our infection rate curve. Our local hospitals have been stressed but able to prevent any deaths for a couple of weeks.