I live in India. Just got my first dose (Covishield -- which is the AstraZeneca derived vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute). The process was really smooth. Just went to the website, (I could have used the AarogySetup COVID app, but preferred not install it,) was given an appointment date. Turned up on the appointment date, stood in line (a longish line -- a 3 hour wait) and got my vaccine. Was made to wait for 30 mins post vaccination to check for anaphylactic shock then then sent home with a couple of fever pills (paracetamol I think). Was contacted two days later by a robocaller to get my feedback and the vaccine certificate was available for download immediately. The process was REALLY smooth. The thing is, its easy to sit in a tiny country like the UK and say the vaccination program is going well, India is vaccinating at rates similar to the rest of the world 3-4 million per day. But India is so huge that, at that rate it will take several years to vaccinate everybody. Harsh lockdowns sadly are even worse for poor people. They literally caused more deaths in the early days due to starvation (from not having the money to buy food) than the virus itself. It is complex to manage a vast and complex country like India. So glib, short comments on social media sites make good reading but are not reflective of the actual effectiveness of the government in power. And I say this as an ardent critic of the current Modi administration.
Under 45 people are not even eligible to get vaccinated unless you are a health care worker or well connected. The second wave is being largely driven by people in the 25-45 age group. Less than a percent of India's population is vaccinated against Covid-19.
Compared to what? That’s shorter than many voting lines in last US election. Shorter than waiting for an unscheduled bus in many countries. I agree it’s longer than I’d like but it’s all perspective.
Compared to everything? I don't think I've waited anywhere for more than an hour in my life. Maybe a ride in an amusement park or in traffic, but that would be it. Certainly not to vote or get a shot.
