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Ask HN: How best to help offshore colleagues survive Covid-19? Mine is in Mumbai

27 points by rfreytag ↗ HN
I want to help my friend and colleague in Kandivali-West, Mumbai. It looks like he has Covid-19. I am concerned for him, his wife, and aged father and I want to help them, but I don't know what to do. He and his family have holed up in his apartment for 3 months. They are middle-class and have some access to health care but they aren’t wealthy. I need locally-relevant ideas if you have them.

There must be people on HN who are in Mumbai or know Mumbai. Can you suggest to me what I might do?

And there also must be many other HN users in my position, who want to help someone far away and don't know how. Or who have helpful ideas for people in a specific location. Please post those as well.

Thank you.

24 comments

[ 2.7 ms ] story [ 66.0 ms ] thread
hellofunk
This might not sound like much but have them take good doses of vitamin D, vitamin B, and magnesium. There has been quite a bit written in recent weeks about those deficiencies leading to much more severe illness.
rfreytag
I will mention vitamin D supplements, thank you.

References to Vitamin D that seem very credible: - https://www.acsh.org/news/2020/05/04/vitamin-d-covid-19-evid... - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32252338/

Not seeing much about Vitamin B, _maybe_ this grab bag from a Wiley journal:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmv.25707

And this less strong support for magnesium: - https://www.livescience.com/61866-magnesium-vitamin-d.html

Mayo Clinic cautions about supplementary magnesium: - https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/magnesium-suppl...

kylehotchkiss
Gift ideas that may help:

https://www.fnp.com/ non-essential deliveries are available in Mumbai now I think. Ferns N' Petals takes American cards.

Swiggy is the local food delivery app. They'll take the random American card (try a few). You can just look at the "premium" options nearby. Ratings and photo quality in the app speak volumes.

Some other nice companies who would make good gifts that are less local but more national... blue tokai coffee roasters, third wave coffee, tea trunk, nicobar, nappa dori.

rfreytag
I have had trouble with other services taking US cards. I'll give these a try, thank you.
seesawtron
Like you said they aren't wealthy. So wouldn't changing that make a difference?

Additionally one can order food delivery online to supply groceries as there are many apps that let you do that.

rfreytag
True of course, but what can be bought or done that will help and is accessible in Mumbai that is not obvious to a local?
seesawtron
I think as its common in UX design, first thing is to ask the user "what" they want. Then you could think of the "how" part: how that goal can be achieved in a way that might not be obvious to a local.

The locals would know more about "what" can be done. Good luck.

Edit: Grocery delivery app [0]

[0] https://grofers.com/

methusala8
This suggestion is the ideal one. The locals would know better.
redis_mlc
Why exactly are you concerned? The mortality rate is around 1/1000 or less for people of working age.
seesawtron
The goal is to reduce the suffering of a friend and his family in times when the whole family is quarantined and possibly has troubles accessing basic utilities. There is little need of derogatory remarks towards someone trying to be kind in an ever increasing unkind world.
rfreytag
Thank you.

P.S. He was feeling better this morning but, as we all know, coronavirus can get better before turning suddenly worse. The 14-day clock has started.

rfreytag
I am concerned because he is concerned and he is my friend.
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man9988
Lemme know what he wants, if its food, groceries etc, I'll take care of it. Im from new Delhi but I have friends in mumbai.
rfreytag
Thank you, please email me at mumbai-support A.T freytag D.O.T org so we can discuss options.

P.S. He was feeling better this morning but, as we all know, coronavirus can get better before turning suddenly worse. The 14-day clock has started.

yial
I have a similar question, but it’s for coworkers who are in Iquitos, Peru.

(In actual Iquitos, not Pebas or Nauta).

100% of my coworkers there (I am on the board of the NGO) are COVID-19 positive. While I can whatsapp them, I feel powerless right now to help them.

Any suggestions are welcomed !

rfreytag
Yial, perhaps you should submit a similar Ask HN question to HN during the early morning in Iquitos, Peru. That is a time when you will catch a lot more locals reading and maybe able to offer relevant suggestions.

Good wishes to your colleagues and thank you for being there for them.

vmurthy
Appreciate your offer mate :-).

A couple of things to consider:

I’m a fellow Indian and while I can’t generalise for everyone, some people are a bit shy and get offended when someone else offers food/groceries because in many parts of India it’s a sign of poverty.

If you can speak to your colleagues and ask if it’s ok, somethings to consider :

1. Long life milk which means lesser trips to supermarkets. Available on www.amazon.in ( search good life milk)

2. Frozen veggies/ ready to eat stuff to save some trouble

3. Not food but can you use some of your skills and make them more productive at work or less stressed? I’m sure they’ll appreciate this the most.

Godspeed!

rfreytag
He and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over the years of working together. I will suggest the milk and frozen veggies - I think he has that covered but who knows?

As far as stress relief, definitely, I'm covering his bills and have taken his tasks until he feels better.

Thank you.

P.S. He was feeling better this morning but, as we all know, coronavirus can get better before turning suddenly worse. The 14-day clock has started.

emiliobumachar
Beware that I know nothing in particular about Mumbai or being actually sick with Covid.

I, like many of us, have been holed up in an apartment for months. I'm lucky to have family members with me, but talking to others occasionally has been good. Make it clear to them that you're available if they want to chat. Videocalls are better than voice only. If you have a common interest that may reasonably be done remotely, like video games, there's that.

rfreytag
In addition to usual check-ins, I call in his morning and evening to assess how he is feeling and be another person to help think through the options.

Thank you.

P.S. He was feeling better this morning but, as we all know, coronavirus can get better before turning suddenly worse. The 14-day clock has started.

csomar
Do they need money for groceries or they are already covering that? Unless you can help in private medical expenses or they need groceries/rent money, I'm not sure any help is possible, realistically speaking.

Also some government around the world took over private medical facilities especially in developing countries. So it can be a moment where both poor and wealthy have equal access unless they are politically connected. Add to that if India is experiencing a surge, maybe all medical facilities will be busy whether free or paid.

This is a matter of randomness (or fate if you believe in God) and unless you are there (in Mumbai) or can be there (which might not be feasible as flights are restricted world-wide) I don't think you can do much.

If money is what he needs and you suspect he's avoiding to ask, I'll just insist instead of buying him stuff online. I think he (and his family) will make better decisions with the money.

rfreytag
As long as my friend is mobile they have food and medical options. My concern is and has been what happens if he becomes ill and must either isolate himself or is hospitalized. In that latter case I needed ways to reach out remotely and support him and his family. This thread has provided some helpful options previously unknown to me.

Thank you!