India sailed through Omicron wave because of vaccination, says Health Minister Mandaviya

India effectively handled the Omicron wave, which caused numerous deaths in other countries, because of better Covid management and a massive vaccination drive, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday. Replying to a supplementary question in the Lok Sabha, Mandaviya said the ICMR has from time to time guided the country and helped in vaccine-related research leading to India having its own indigenous vaccine.

"It was under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guidance that India saw best Covid management and largest vaccination drive... While Omicron caused numerous deaths in other countries, India sailed through the Omicron wave because of vaccination," Mandaviya said during the Question Hour.

India, which battled the deadly second wave blamed on the Delta variant in April-May last year, faced the Omicron challenge in December 2021-January 2022. However, the impact of Omicron in India was apparently less severe compared to the Delta variant.

The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 184.31 crore.

India's indigenous Covid vaccine Covaxin is being manufactured by Bharat Biotech.