Why couldn’t India prevent the 2nd Wave of COVID-19 like Israel?

The ONLY way to win in this seemingly un-ending war against the virus is vaccination. Isolating socially still makes sense as India is going through a peak and accessing healthcare if you do get Covid positive will be a nightmare. However, this strategy will help you only delay, rather than prevent infection. Multiple infectious variants of SARS-Cov-2 have permeated our world and they exist everywhere — in the air, on the bus seat, in your neighbor’s chest. You WILL catch it — if not today, tomorrow. Thus, the only feasible strategy that does a give a statistically validated shot at saving oneself, is vaccination.

Countries like Israel understand this, and have successfully crawled back to normalcy.

But what has India done so far & why are our people dying as the world opens up?

https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-drops-public-mask-mandate-with-more-than-half-citizens-vaccinated-378441

1. Govt rolled out covishield & covaxin in Jan only to health workers & then frontline workers. Somehow, this was a massive failure by all accounts. A major chunk of eligible population was skeptical /complacent & didn’t get vaccinated. For propagating vaccine misinformation during this phase, I think that whatsapp cynics, irresponsible media & agenda-driven opposition must be held accountable.
2. The govt was painfully deaf to demand for expanding the eligibility. Too high on ego of having a “plan”? SII alone has been producing 6Cr+ doses a month; but remained severely under-utilized. I observed this phase on mute: it was a gut-wrenching display of stupidity by both the public for not adopting vaccines & the govt for not pushing more aggressively.
3. Most Indians got the vaccine game totally wrong. It’s a preventive measure, not a reactive one. Govt did open vaccination for seniors & co-morbid 45+ on 1st Mar. But since there was no apocalyptic mayhem then like in April, complacence took over conscience.

Vaccination rate was dismal till the worst of the 2nd wave got unfolded

4. Govt harped on “India made” Covaxin & put a red tape on foreign vaccines like Sputnik, Pfizer, Moderna etc. Covaxin makers have struggled to deliver even 1Cr vaccines a month (started at just a few lacs in Jan) “Aatmanirbharta” propaganda has costed India dearly.

5. SputnikV in particular could have been a promising addition to India’s arsenal. Dr Reddy’s undertook a bold partnership way back in Dec, but it got a nod only last week. All this while ~60 other countries approved Sputnik & saved millions from misery

6. GoI has STILL not approved Pfizer & Moderna vaccines — which, in fact, are proven to be the most efficacious in the world! We want them to “apply” to us, won’t grant legal immunity & will even conduct more trials before a roll out. Meanwhile, thousands dying daily

Science did its part in saving humanity — it did give us multiple vaccines in record time (an astonishing feat to be cherished for ages!) But we lost to politics & human stupidity, yet again.

Is this the apocalypse? Will Covid ever end in India?

There will be survivors at the end of this, just like any other war. Covid will go away, but it will leave us with undying scars. Preventable scars.

What can we do now?

If you read till here — please get vaccinated if you are eligible. If not, please keep requesting @PMOIndia & @MoHFW_INDIA that vaccine procurement be increased immediately. Everyone’s a step away from the graveyard and masks & lockdowns aren’t going to cut it this time..