India’s Covid-19 crisis has begun to clear up as case numbers continue to fall in major Indian states that were previously virus hotspots. Some regions and states such as the nation’s capital Delhi and financial hub Mumbai have begun to partially re-open. Just a few weeks ago, India witnessed a crushing second wave that caused oxygen shortages and overcrowding in hospitals, putting immense pressure on India’s healthcare system. Experts still advise that people should exercise precaution due to low vaccination rates and the threat of new variants.
India has administered more than 230 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine so far, however, this represents less than 4% of the country’s 1.4 billion people. India has attempted to speed up the vaccination rates across the country, however, due to the recent outbreak, it became difficult to vaccinate the public. India has allowed for higher prices for vaccines that are administered to wealthy individuals in private hospitals, spiking concerns over fair access, especially to those who are economically disadvantaged. In rural areas, vaccine hesitancy remains a challenge. On Monday, India reported 101,000 new infections and more than 2,400 deaths. This is far lower than the daily 400,000 cases India was reporting roughly a month ago.
Read More: India states start reopening amid dip in Covid cases
