Question: How do we over-come the Covid-19 situation, which is aggravating every day? How do you think we can get out of it? Do you think there is a better approach that could bring this pandemic under control?
Answer: There are fears and some sort of attitudinal problems to this pandemic. As a bishop, we are handling at the local community level. The lack of a vaccine is causing great anxiety and mental agony to the people. Children and senior citizens are the more vulnerable groups. I think we are passing through the last face of the pandemic. Through the exposed groups, especially the youth, we could achieve Herd immunity. In the initial stage, the stress was on keeping children and the aged isolated. But now they are finding the isolation unbearable. This is the stage when they require greater attention and care. We are simultaneously dealing with a far more dangerous virus – that of hate. It has fragmented our community. There is some sort of majoritarian hatred of the minorities, especially the Muslim community, which the recent developments in Kerala has aggravated. We need unbiased study of issues and developments that happen within communities. But it is a tragedy that they now seem impossible.

Bishop James Raphael Anaparambil, Alappuzha