India Lockdown: Can’t Return to US for My Prescription Medication

Indians are suspicious of foreigners and the media has encouraged them to call the police if they see one.

Ankush Bhandarkar and his wife Kristen Ewald are stranded in Mumbai. 

(Photo Courtesy: Kristen Ewald)

My husband and I came to India to plan a wedding, we were supposed to be here for 15 days. Unfortunately, our trip has taken an unexpected turn due to the coronavirus outbreak.

We were supposed to get back home to the US 15 days ago, but are still here. Our flights have been cancelled four times, and now that the Government of India has banned all international and domestic flights, there is no way to get out, leaving us stranded.

We are very fortunate that my husband’s family is in Mumbai, many others who look like me have been kicked out of hotels, and their residences.

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People in India are very suspicious of foreigners and the media has encouraged Indians to call the police if they see a foreign national, which has created a hostile environment.

We have got calls from others who live or work in the building we are staying in wondering who we are. They do not want us to stay here but we have nowhere else to go.

When the government first announced the lockdown, we were already running low on food in the house and the stores were so picked over that I had to eat boiled potatoes and bread for about a week.

‘Stuck in the Same Room for 20 Days’

We have got some more food since then but it’s still scarce so we are spreading out what we have.

We have been stuck in the same room for about 20 days now. I am not able to go out of the apartment to the grocery stores, or even step outside for fresh air out of worry that I could be hauled off to jail which has happened to many other people here.

As someone who grew up in Michigan, I have never even experienced temperatures so hot. In summers our hottest days are around 75° F, and here it’s over 100° F every day.

We didn't bring too many summer clothes because we were planned to leave India before it got so hot. I've been wearing the same dress every day.

Additionally, I have run out of a prescription medication I take every day. I packed enough for an extra week, just in case, but I did not expect to be out of the country for a month.

‘Thousands of Americans Are Stranded in India’

It's been about a week since the US announced they may be planning evacuation flights for over 1,000 Americans stranded in India but there is no information yet on when that will be.

Additionally, the cost could be astronomical, upwards of $2,000 per person. It’s disheartening to see other foreign nationals being taken home from India, for little to no cost from their governments, and we are still left stranded in COVID-19-hit India.

It’s so important for us to get home. I work at a hospital in Michigan and my husband works as a psychologist. Both of our jobs are incredibly important for taking care of other Americans.

The hospital is overwhelmed and my husband's work has endless requests for tele-therapy from Americans who are looking for help coping with distress and worry during the coronavirus pandemic.

We are desperate to get home soon, we have asked all of our family and friends to contact their state representatives of local and federal government in the US and have got some good responses from government officials. However, we are on day 15 of being stuck here and there is still no word on if or when we will be able to go home.

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