When the first COVID-19 wave hit India, millions of migrant workers lost their jobs. Strict lockdowns meant their source of income in the cities was cut off overnight, forcing many to move back to their villages. Nearly a year on, many are still there. Some rural communities believe it could be a blessing in disguise -- as they hope returning migrant workers could help breathe new life into their economies.

Several Indian states opened mass vaccination sites on Monday at school grounds, auditoriums, and other facilities, as the government's free COVID inoculation drive expanded to anyone above 18.

The country has fallen behind on its vaccination program released in January with its target of inoculating at least 300 million people by mid-2021.

So far less than 5% of India's 1.3 billion population has been fully vaccinated and 280 million have received at least one vaccine dose.

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