India has become the first country to report more than 400,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day, as its nationwide vaccine drive launches amid a supply crisis. The covid cases have shown a gradual increase.
All adults in India are now eligible to be vaccinated. Amid the record surge, many Indian states have reported running out of vaccines even as Prime Minister Narendra Modis government continues to insist there is enough stock for vaccines. India is considered to be the largest producer of vaccines and is known as the pharmacy of the world. The country is currently in its third phase of vaccination, where those above 45 years of age are eligible to get the anti-COVID-19 shots.
VACCINE SHORTAGE
The alarming shortage of vaccines. This week, India has opened up vaccinations to age group above 18's but most states didnt have enough stock to offer vaccines. Adar Poonawall who is the CEO of the Serum Institute of India (SII), the worlds biggest vaccine manufacturer, has warned that the supply crunch of vaccines will be continued for another three months.
On the ground, many people are being turned away from vaccination centers because the shots of vaccines are out of stock. In Mumbai, the city corporation has suspended vaccinations altogether for three days. Other states have also postponed their plans to vaccinate citizens aged 18-45. As of this week, only 28.9 million Indians had received both their doses. The recent estimate declares that around 200 million are awaiting their second shot, and 600 million people are eligible for their first one. This is creating a difficult time for the young adults.
Medicines were starting to run short in some parts. Due to this, people are panicking a lot. People are seen unnecessarily hoarding medicines, even those who don't need them," added another business owner Sanjay Sharma. To curb the shortage of vaccines in India we can observe that,
Russia delivered 20 tons of supplies mainly comprising oxygen concentrators, ventilators and medicines.