Prognosis
Easing India Lockdowns on Cases Rather Than Vaccines Seen Risky
- Low share of fully vaccinated population presents biggest risk
- India’s reopening may result in rise in new infections
A priest enters the gate of a Hanuman Temple as lockdown restrictions are eased in New Delhi on June 16.
Photographer: Anindito Mukherjee/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The rush by India’s states to end lockdowns as new coronavirus infections drop, rather than waiting for vaccination rates to rise, risks triggering fresh restrictions and holding back the nation’s recovery, according to Oxford Economics.
“States are easing lockdowns based on lower test positivity rates rather than vaccination progress,” Priyanka Kishore, head of India and South East Asia Economics at Oxford Economics, wrote in a report to clients. “This risky strategy increases the chances of renewed outbreaks that would further delay the recovery.”