Yearender 2021: From devastating second wave to massive vaccination drive - How India tackled Covid threat

The coronavirus pandemic still very much persists in India, with a new variant raising the alarm across the country. While many assumed the worst to be over with the year 2020, the year 2021 also brought new forms of infection, which were much deadlier and tougher to deal with. The country witnessed an intense fight between the daily caseload and the vaccination tally. 

Here's a look at how India dealt with the virus in 2021, and what lies ahead:

Second wave of COVID-19

More than a year after the onset of the coronavirus in India, in April 2021 the country saw the pandemic go worse, something that was unimaginable and was deemed as impossible. 

On April 1, India began its vaccination drive for those aged 45 years and above. On the other hand, India recorded the highest single-day rise since the pandemic. This was a huge setback for the country because up until that point, with the rollout of Covid vaccines and its administration, a sigh of relief was expected. Instead, Covid cases started spiraling. 

This was also the time of assembly elections in five states (West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu) of India. Election campaigns and rallies saw huge crowds gather around with social distancing visibly gone for a toss.

With every passing day, India kept breaking its own daily case record, thus making way for the 'second wave', something bigger than the first time Covid-19 shook India in the year 2020. On April 21, India broke the world's single-day case rise record as it reported 314,835 new cases of the novel coronavirus in just 24 hours (Reuters).

By this time, a lockdown was induced across the country, much like the first wave. 

Record Covid deaths

The second wave was not just a super-spreader, but also more fatal than the first one. On May 2, India recorded 3,689 deaths due to the virus, which was the highest tally till then. Notably, this was one day after vaccination had begun for those aged 18 and above. 

People everywhere knew someone who has succumbed to the infection. In May 2021, the World Health Organization also published a study that said the coronavirus is airborne. This added to the fears of the Indian public given the significant rise in the number of daily Covid cases and the alarming death toll.

Oxygen shortage

India dealt with the worst case of oxygen shortage during the second wave. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal openly admitted to the healthcare system's incapability to take in the growing number of Covid patients, and provide them with sufficient oxygen. Many succumbed to the infection before they even got access to oxygen. 

According to government officials, the demand for oxygen during the second wave was way more than the first. Data shared by Union Health Ministry in April 2021 showed that the requirement of oxygen in the second wave stood at 54.5% as compared to the first wave at 41.1%.

Black Fungus

To add to the fears of Covid, black fungus infection emerged as a new threat. Mucormycosis or black fungus is a very rare infection that affects the brain and lungs and can be lethal. 

During the second wave, cases of black fungus surfaced. Doctors believed that mucormycosis, which has an overall mortality rate of 50%, maybe have been triggered by the use of steroids, a life-saving treatment for severe and critically ill Covid-19 patients.

Dip in Covid cases

Daily Covid cases started to dip significantly from July. The second wave visibly disappeared, and the lockdown, night curfew, and strict Covid restrictions were lifted from most parts of India slowly. 

On August 10, India reported 28,204 new coronavirus infections, the lowest in 147 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The national COVID-19 recovery rate increased to 97.45 percent, which was the highest ever recovery rate achieved, the Ministry said.

Vaccination milestone

On September 17, on the occasion of PM Modi's 71st birthday, India administered 21,598,046 COVID-19 vaccine doses. This figure was three times the average daily total during August, as some states organized special inoculation drives on PM's birthday.

Later on October 21, 2021, India reached another milestone as it touched 1 billion Covid vaccinations. Frontline workers and doctors everywhere celebrated this milestone by the country. 

As of December 28, 2021, more than 84 crore people have been inoculated with the first dose Covid vaccine, and more than 58 crores have been inoculated with the second dose of the Covid vaccine, in India (data from the Cowin portal).

Omicron variant

While vaccination is speedily underway in India, and the daily Covid cases have stooped down by a huge margin, in comparison to the second wave, a new variant of Covid-19 has entered the country. The Omicron variant originated in South Africa, made its way to India first with some international passengers. 

Night curfew has been imposed in several states in India including Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala and Uttarakhand among others. The move comes in light of the upcoming new year, and rising Covid cases in these states. 

So far, Omicron hasn't proved to be fatal, and India hopes to conquer this variant and come out stronger, just like it previously did.

Precautionary dose and vaccine for children

On December 25 this year, PM Modi in a surprise address announced that a 'precautionary dose' will be administered to front line workers and those above the age of 60 with co-morbidities. The inoculation of precautionary doses will begin on January 10.

Apart from this, vaccination for children aged 15 to 18 will also commence on January 3, the PM said. For now, only Covaxin will be administered to children of the given age group.