Over the past several weeks, India has been struggling with a massive surge in Covid-19 cases, with more Covid cases over the last week than any other country. India has also reported shortages in oxygen supplies, creating a healthcare system nightmare as patients in need of oxygen are not able to obtain access to the extremely limited supply. Starting today, India has made the Covid vaccine accessible to all adults over the age of 18, hoping to elevate vaccination rates as currently only 1.6% of the population is fully vaccinated.
The second wave has pushed the official death toll past 200,000, however, experts claim the actual number may be even higher than reported due to overflow at hospitals forcing infected patients to remain home. US President Joe Biden has pledged to send vaccines to India, meanwhile, China has also offered the country aid.