Lakshmi: Stupidity rules in both US and India when it comes to Covid-19

Lakshmi Manchu travelled to the US recently to see her husband (Andy Srinivasan), and she says there wasn’t a single moment of relief during the entire journey. She feels that travelling comes with more fear these days, rather than excitement.

Manchu spent all of July in the US with her husband, before returning to India in August to get back to work. “I refused to get excited until I landed in America, and got through immigration. I was so nervous with all the travel bans. New rules were being announced every day,” says Manchu.

She adds that meeting her husband took away the stress in some way. “That (travel) was nerve-racking. But the minute I saw Andy, and we went home, it was like a breath of fresh air. So many people, who were vaccinated twice, were not wearing masks,” adds the actor.

Manchu says that travel has changed a lot post the pandemic. “The most annoying part is wearing a mask and shield. Moreover, all those beautiful in-flight services have been stalled. So, it’s not the same feeling,” she says. Manchu, however, adds that it’s best to accept the new normal and move on. “Be grateful that you are able to sit on a plane and travel somewhere.”

Comparing the situation in India and the US, Manchu says there isn’t much difference, as people are callous in both the places. “While there is one section of the population in both the countries that understands the pandemic, there’s another that doesn’t really care. Stupidity rules in both the countries when it comes to this pandemic,” she rues.

Now, Manchu is back to work, and has started shooting for a show as well. She confesses that she gets paranoid thinking whether people around her are vaccinated or not. “I have an active life, so I want to be careful, because there’s fear of the Delta variant. I meet my parents on a regular basis and I have a small daughter. So, I just want to be aware and prepared,” she says.