India-US caucus to urge Biden government to send AstraZeneca vaccine doses

In a recent overseas development, the US- India caucus leadership will urge the Indian Ambassador to the United States, Sandhu and government officials to send doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, said Ro Khanna who is the Indian American member of the US House of Representatives on April 25. 

Establishing that 'time is of the essence' Ro Khanna hinted at a discussion between the Indian Ambassador and government officials to aid India by consigning AstraZeneca vaccine and other vital medical equipment. 

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi on Sunday evening called on the Biden administration to release its supply of aforementioned COVID-19 vaccine doses to countries experiencing an upsurge in infection. As India has set out to break global records in COVID-19 figures, various lawmakers in the US have voiced their concerns and mounted pressure on Biden administration to extend aid and assistance by releasing vaccines and other essentials to India. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US is working closely with its partners in Indian government to deploy more supplies and additional support amid a spike in COVID-19 infections in the country. Countries including Iran, Russia, Australia, Bhutan and the EU have extended their support to India. 

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 with several life-saving medical supplies to India, which is witnessing a deadly surge in coronavirus cases.

COVID-19 update

The US remains the worst-hit country with 32,788,504, followed by India, Brazil, France, and Russia. So far, India has reported 1,69,60,172 COVID-19 infections and currently has 26,82,751 active cases. About 2,767 people were reported dead as on Sunday, according to health ministry data, taking total COVID-19 fatalities to 1,92,311. Total number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 1,40,85,110, while the case fatality rate has further dropped to 1.13 per cent, the data said.

COVID-19 cases worldwide on Sunday stood at 147,039,936. As many as 3,112,295 people have died of the disease and 124,688,054 have recovered.