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Indian Air Force Planes, Military Bands Pay Tribute to COVID Workers

Anjana Pasricha

   NEW DELHI - Air force planes flew over major Indian cities and
   helicopters showered flower petals on hospitals as a tribute to
   healthcare workers on the front lines of the fight against the
   coronavirus pandemic even as India witnessed its highest single-day
   jump in infections and shut down for another two weeks.

   Confined to their homes, people craned their necks from balconies and
   stood on rooftops to catch sight of the fighter jets as they flew low
   over a dozen deserted cities, from Srinagar in the Himalayas to
   Thiruvanathapuram in the south, Sunday morning.

   As helicopters dropped petals on hospitals in cities including New
   Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, some health workers stood outside --a
   brief moment of respite from the grueling fight to contain the
   infection.

   Military bands played outside some hospitals and the navy plans to
   light up ships anchored along the coast in the evening.

   The armed forces called it a tribute to doctors, nurses, sanitation
   workers, police, home guards, delivery boys and the media.

   "We wholeheartedly appreciate the gesture by the army, navy and air
   force, the armed forces," said Srinivas Rajkumar, the general secretary
   of the Resident Doctor's Association of the country's premier
   government hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, in New
   Delhi. "But the government should also pay attention to shortcomings in
   preparedness which will decide the final outcome of the battle against
   COVID-19," he told local media.

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