Covid-19 vaccination drive in Rajasthan, India amid rise of 'Delta-Plus' variant

Indian health workers administered Covishield vaccines against COVID-19 during a major vaccination drive at a government vaccination centre in Beawar in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

Indian health workers administered Covishield vaccines against COVID-19 during a major vaccination drive at a government vaccination centre in Beawar in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

The so-called 'Delta Plus' variant of Coronavirus that has virologists so concerned, has been detected in around 80 countries including India, US, UK, Portugal, Switzerland, Japan, Nepal, Poland, China and Russia.

Despite halting all vaccine exports in April and having a huge domestic vaccine industry, India has covered only 4% of its vast population, putting it far behind most of the West and China, which is deploying about 20 million doses a day.