Toll Rises 2L, Indians Rush For Vaccines

The World Health Organization told in its weekly epidemiological update that India estimated for 38% of the 5.7 million cases reported worldwide to it last week.

Early modelling revealed that the B.1.617 variant of the virus detected in India had a higher growth rate than other variants in the country, suggesting increased transmissibility, it said.

“The current wave is particularly dangerous,” he told. “It is supremely contagious and those who are contracting it are not able to recover as swiftly. In these conditions, intensive care wards are in great demand.”

Vaccine Avalibility

India being one of the world’s biggest producers of vaccines, does not yet have the stocks for the estimated 600 million people becoming eligible.

Citizens who tried to sign up said they failed, complaining on social media that they could not get a slot. They reported that they could not register as the website crashed repeatedly.

“Tried registering and blocking a slot for vaccination,” wrote Shourya Agarwal on Twitter. “Failed multiple times.”

Even those already eligible were striving to find doses.

“They are telling us that injections are not available, as vaccines have not arrived,” said Mumbai resident Pushpa Goswami. She said that she registered three days ago.

The South Asia head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Udaya Regmi, said the world was entering a crucial phase of the pandemic and lacked to have vaccinations available for all adults as soon as possible.

“This is both an ethical and public health imperative,” he replied. “As variants keep spreading, this pandemic is far from over until the whole world is safe.”