WE MUST FIGHT THIS DEMON TOGETHER

Dear Community members,
Lately there have been messages floating around regarding the trouble community members have faced during this time due to unavailability of vaccines. Last year, when Lockdown 1.0 was announced people panicked because they did not know what to expect. This time around, the COVID wave had a huge impact in Mumbai crippling our city. The first wave taught us all what to
expect and how to handle it which has made us better prepared for the second wave. But regardless of how prepared
you could have been, no one could have prepared us for what we went through. The BPP has done a lot since the start of the second wave.

1. The first thing the BPP did, in conjunction with the Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman, was step forward to pay for the vaccine for the entire community.
   
2. Once vaccines were made available to the public in March 2021, the BPP and Iranian Zoroastrian Anjuman once again stepped up and set up a vaccination drive to ensure every eligible member of our community was vaccinated on priority.We had cars and buses lined up to take the beneficiaries to vaccination centres but the community response was to wait and watch at that time and very few members would come for vaccination. By April 2021, the Covid infection had increased ten times and there was a immense rush to get vaccinated, but unfortunately vaccines by then were out of stock. Even today the BPP’s AND IRANI
   ANJUMAN’S COMMITMENT TO PAY FOR THE VACCINE FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS STANDS.
   
3. The BPP set up a hotline to help its community members in any and every way possible during this pandemic. We provided financial assistance, medical aid and tiffin service to those in need, who requested our help on the Hotline.
   
4. We have written to Mr. Adar Poonawalla and Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla for purchasing vaccines for the community. Since the supply of vaccines is controlled by the Central Government of India, they have been expressed regret and we have been requested to contact Parsi General Hospital for the same.
   
5. We have also written to the BMC for permission to have vaccination drives/centers in our colonies. We are informed that permission for vaccination drives may be given shortly. We are already in discussion with a vendor to provide this service once the Government grants permission. (More below)
   
6. For those in need of separate quarantine facilities due to shortage of space in their own homes, the BPP has been providing the vacant flats in its possession for the same.
   
7. We are trying to open up the Parsi Lying in Hospital as Quarantine facility for which we need to ascertain the Structural Stability of PLIH structure. For that purpose with the co-operation of Dinshaw Tamboly and Maneck Engineer, Trustees Viraf Mehta & Kersi Randeria along with ExChairman Dinshaw Mehta and Maneck Engineer visited the site and had a detailed round of the 25000 sq.ft. hospital structure on Friday 30thApril 2021 with Structural Consultant Nitin Doshi. The Consultant report is awaited on the feasibility of bringing PLIH structure to a reasonably sound condition for community use and obtaining BMC approval for its use as a Covid Quarantine centre.
   
8. The Trustees are in preliminary discussions with the Trustees of Petit Sanatorium and its President Sir Dinshaw Petit too
   on the possibility of using the vacant Sanatorium Premises for community use as a Quarantine centre. However the Sanatorium also being in a state of non-use since last over twenty years, the cost of repairs has to be considered.
   
9. The BPP is purchasing oxygen concentrators for the residents of its colonies. I must congratulate Dadar Parsi Colony Gymkhana for the newly set up vaccination center and wish them all the best. We are hoping more centers are opened in the city which can assist community members. Many have asked why the BPP cannot do the same. Let me clarify that there is a
   difference in holding a vaccination drive in our colony and setting up a vaccination center. While a vaccination drive can be
   for a particular society or colony and only its residents, a vaccination center would be open to everyone, not just Parsis
   from that colony. Some residents have raised concerns for colonies becoming Vaccination Centres as it may bring in an influx of people from outside into our colony. After seeing the pictures of the long lines at Parsi General Hospital, this reservation grew. We are awaiting the BMC’s reply on our request and will update you accordingly. By the grace of Ahura Mazda, Covid cases in Mumbai have come off significantly from its highs of 11,000 cases per day in April. However, until every member of the community is fully vaccinated there lies a risk. The Government is already gearing up for the third wave expected in July –August 2021. We are keeping in constant touch with the Parsi General Hospital and the Poonawala family on the availability of vaccines and we are informed that the situation should hopefully improve soon. Please consult your family doctor and he will tell you that you can still get Covid even if you’ve had both your shots, but the symptoms may be mild. If you’ve already had Covid you could still be a carrier so maintaining proper social distancing is essential. The first wave hit the elderly, the second hit the middle-aged and the third is predicted to hit the youth, the toddlers and teenagers. We need to keep vigil and not drop our guard. The BPP has been and will always be here to help our community members any way it can.
   
   Our helpline numbers are
   Jimmy 9004385510,
   Ronny 9867946384,
   Burzin 9930956811 and
   Behzad 8369933487.

I am personally available to help 24×7 as well. Do not hesitate to call.
Viraf D. Mehta
Trustee, BPP
9820146244
viraf@viraf.com