COVID-19 brought the nation's healthcare system to its knees earlier this year. Vaccinations against influenza are not very common in India due to a lack of awareness, access and steep prices, and they are also not part of the federal government's universal immunization program that includes polio, tuberculosis and Hepatitis B.
Still, more than 1,000 shots were administered at Manipal Hospital's sites in the tech hub of Bengaluru in southern India between July and September, compared with about 3,000 for all of last year, according to the healthcare provider. "Initially, everyone thought if you got flu vaccines, COVID-19 won't affect you severely," said Dr.