Even if lifespans don't increase the population will probably continue to expand for about 25 years since the cohorts already born are larger than they ones they are replacing. Population only plateaus once we've been at replacement rate for the same number of years as mean age of mothers at birth.

Average lifespan has increased because of changes on the low end. Fewer people are dying young. There has been very little movement on the upper end of lifespan. The current trend of improvement has a natural wall at about 100-110 average lifespan.

Having said that, I suspect that once we crack aging, we may blow past the current limit and see a relativly sudden jump in lifespan

Rural India wasn't affected at all by covid, and main period was April-May 2021.