Madhukar Nimala lost all his savings, exhausted his limit on his credit cards and was on the verge of losing his job. Vamshi Sridhrapalli had to stay away from his family for more than three months. Ani has been running from pillar to post in India to get a new passport for his five-year-old son.
These are some of the tens of thousands of those lives affected and disrupted by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Highlights:
- The lockdowns due to the Coronavirus pandemic has affected the lives of many.
- People have lost their jobs and income sources.
- Thousands are stuck overseas with no hope of returning in the near future.
Mr Nimala was stuck in India for three months. A permanent Australian resident, Mr Nimala, is a service station manager. He was travelling to India to meet his family when Australia and India closed their borders. He was stuck there with his wife. He lost a lot of money trying to buy air tickets, and he lost his income here in Australia.
"We have to $1500 rent and other expenses like power bill, internet bill etc. It is hard to bear because I have a kid and we don't have any savings at the moment because we just got our permanent residency. So it is a tough time. I have used all my credit cards, and I am not getting a salary," Madhukar Nimala told SBS Hindi before returning to Australia.
Madhukar Nimala with his wife and son. Source: Supplied
Thousands of Australian citizens and permanent residents are still stuck in different parts of the world.
Staying away from home for months has affected them in so many ways. For instance, Melbourne-resident Ani and her family are living in India with her mother at the moment. Her husband has lost his job. Her son's passport is about to expire, and she cannot return as the tickets are too expensive.
"Coronavirus has disrupted every aspect of our lives. We are stuck and scared. Coronavirus cases are rising in India, and we are scared of going out. We cannot travel back to our country, which is Australia. Moreover, I don't know how long is it before life gets back to normal. My husband and I are trying to support each other," says Ani who is trying to get a new passport for her son.
Ani's house in Dandenong was burgled while she is stranded in India with her family. Source: Supplied
These difficulties have emotional and mental implications too. Vamshi Sridharpalli says this whole experience has affected us mentally.
"I have lost or maybe got postponed with a huge project which I wanted to start. My wife had to stay all alone here in Melbourne and had to go thru a very bad phase which impacts her mental well-being. I had to rush to Australia to take care of my wife, and now my mom is all alone left there in India," says Mr Sridharpalli.
Kalam Vamshi Source: Supplied
"I am also scared If I will be able to leave Australia soon to take care of my mother if, god forbid, something happens to her."
Many of those who are stuck overseas feel that their country and government have failed them in these unforeseeable times.
Simon Quinn has helped thousands of Australians stranded in India to get home. He says so many people are struggling to meet daily living expenses.
In a video posted on Facebook, Mr Quinn said, "Being overseas prevents you from accessing commonwealth assistance. The Australian government has not offered any publicly available repatriation fight loan scheme as are several other countries have."
"Essentially, those stuck overseas are simply not a priority, and there is no political imperative to come to their aid. The unfortunate reality is that the average Australian probably shares the sentiment that those stuck overseas are stuck on account of their own negligence or stupidity, but as we know in reality, thousands of people find themselves in dire circumstances through no fault of their own. They haven't returned to Australia on account of an inability to return rather than on account of a choice. Basically, those overseas are out of sight out of mind."
Those who have returned are still trying to manage according to the changed circumstances. However, there is a feeling that some things would never go back to what they were before the pandemic.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.
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