VACCINATION DRIVES, ARESOUNDING SUCCESS Elvidio Miranda As the number of jabs administered so far crosses the 3 billion mark, deaths worldwide that has crossed cumulatively the 4 million mark has reduced considerably in the near past to about one fourth, the peak rates which is a clear sign that vaccination drives have been a success though the Delta variant that was first detected in India is leading to anxiety. The Delta variant's spread has led to curbs not only being extended but also being re-imposed in several parts of the world. In India the death toll has reached the 3,98.000 mark and the vaccination drive has already administered slightly over 33 crore jabs which has also succeeded in bringing about reduction in fatalities which is now in the region of 800 deaths daily as compared to 4,000 deaths a day at its peak. Also the new infections have reduced to below 30,000 per day from its peak of 4,14,000 daily about 90 days back. In the world it thus looks set that the total tally of deaths will be much less than the 18 million fatalities due to the previous pandemic of the Spanish flu about a century ago. This definitely indicates that heath care facilities worldwide have shown a marked improvement in the last century.
