And yet, these are the people being made to feel like criminals instead of being treated like patients. 

Apart from the blatant racism and discrimination the country has been showing against north easterners, their behaviour towards those who have tested positive for COVID-19 is also appalling. 

Delhi’s first COVID-19 patient, who was cured late last month spoke about how his picture and phone number were circulated on social media. He received threatening calls, where people abused him and his family for spreading the virus. 

I started receiving phone calls and hate messages from unknown numbers while I was admitted in the hospital. I was made into a criminal. I was made to feel as if I went to Italy solely for the purpose of contracting this illness. 

-the 45-year-old patient told News18

To single out a person, when the family and the patient are both suffering, seems rather unfair. In a time when they require our empathy and strength, we in turn are giving them discrimination. 

On one hand, we’re donating funds to help those who are affected by COVID-19. On the other, we are ready to reject anyone who is placed under home quarantine and may or may not be positive. 

Just the possibility of someone testing positive is enough for people to isolate their family members and ask them to empty out their houses. Many have complained that the quarantine sticker outside their house is the reason why they were refused groceries. 

As was the case with the doctors in New Delhi who were being asked to leave by their landlord. Or the staff of airlines that were saving people from infected countries and were ostracised and excluded by their neighbours.

Everyone is scared and wants to be safe, but we need to remember that we are all against this disease together. It is us VS the disease and not the patients who have tested positive.