Washington:
The Biden administration has come under intense pressure from various quarters, including the powerful US Chambers of Commerce, lawmakers and eminent Indian-Americans, to ship AstraZeneca and other COVID-19 vaccines along side several life-saving medical supplies to India, which is witnessing a deadly surge in coronavirus cases.
“As the Covid pandemic inflicts an important toll on countries round the globe, the US Chamber strongly encourages the administration to release the many AstraZeneca vaccine doses in storage – also as other life-saving support – for shipment to India, Brazil, and other nations hard-hit by the pandemic,” said Myron Brilliante, executive vice-president and head of world affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce.
He said these vaccine doses won’t be needed within the us , where it’s estimated that vaccine manufacturers are going to be ready to produce enough doses by early June to inoculate every American.
This move will affirm US leadership, including in initiatives like COVAX, and as we work with partners round the globe because nobody is safe from the pandemic until we are all safe from it, Myron Brilliante said.
The US Chambers issued the statement after Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar sought global help in fight against COVID-19. “Will strive to make sure that our supply chains are as smooth as possible during a difficult global situation. the planet must support India, as India helps the planet ,” he said during a tweet.
US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter told reporters that the us continues to figure closely with India to facilitate the movement of essential supplies and also address the bottlenecks of the availability chains.
“The COVID-19 situation in India may be a global concern,” she said.
“We also still collaborate with our partners in India to battle this at the very best level. we all know Secretary (of State, Tony) Blinken spoke to his counterpart on Tuesday and that we remain deeply engaged with India in the least levels as we work to combat this crisis of the pandemic together,” Ms Porter said.
Congresswoman Rashida Talib tweeted that the COVID-19 crisis in India may be a harsh reminder that the pandemic isn’t over until the entire world is safe.
President Biden “must support a patent waiver to build up global production now,” she said.
“As we glance to our Indian friends battling this pandemic, we’ll also acknowledge the toll that it’s taking, not only on the people of India, but also as all throughout South Asia and, quite frankly, everywhere the planet ,” Ms Porter said.
The Washington Post during a lead editorial hoped that each one of India can seize the instant and start to reverse the course of this disaster. “India isn’t a faraway problem. In pandemic time and distance, every place is nearby,” it said.
Major Democratic fundraiser for Biden’s presidential campaign Shekar Narasimhan urged the US President to talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We need to do something within the face of a humanitarian disaster. Every friend i do know within the US with family in India reports that relatives have died or been affected,” he said.
President “please speak to Prime Minister and see if we will lend 10M doses of AZ vaccine like tomorrow. We must help now!” he said
