US to share 60 million AstraZeneca doses with countries 'in most need' of COVID vaccines

After being slammed for its ‘America first’ approach, US under the global and domestic pressure for an ‘inadequate’ and ‘indifferent’ response to India’s request for help is now planning to dispatch aid of AstraZeneca Plc’s vaccines. Biden administration on Monday announced that the US will ship 60 million vaccine doses to the countries 'in most need' in the coming months, which are reeling under the ravaging impacts of the COVID-19 spread. A federal safety review is under process, officials familiar with the development told US broadcasters. Separately, a White House release stated that pledging support to the global vaccine equity, the US has agreed to release shipment of jabs. 

US President Joe Biden also held a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While Biden swore US’ "steadfast support for the people of India who have been impacted by the recent surge in COVID-19 cases,” his administration was widely criticized for hoarding vaccines and offering little help by Indian American lawmakers. 

The US announced, that it was willing to provide a range of emergency assistance, including oxygen-related supplies, vaccine materials, and therapeutics. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a news conference that the US Food and Drug Administration was performing quality checks on vaccine doses that are being prepared to be sent abroad. "Our team will share more details about our planning and who will be receiving offers from here, but we're in the planning process at this point in time," she said. 

In a statement, the White House informed that as many as 60 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses were at different stages of production and will be shipped abroad, including aid packages for India. The US had earlier refused to lift restrictions on the export of raw materials used in coronavirus vaccine manufacturing. “We will give priority to our citizens before fulfilling India's request,” Biden had told reporters. Washington’s indifferent response triggered anti-US sentiments in the home country and among Indian Americans. 

Congressman Krishnamoorthi insisted 'India needs help' 

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi asked the Biden administration to release doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines to help India in its worst health crisis. "When people in India and elsewhere desperately need help, we can't let vaccines sit in a warehouse, we need to get them where they'll save lives," Krishnamoorthi stressed, according to a PTI report. “We [US] are currently sitting on close to 40 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the US stockpile, a stockpile which we're not using and which we've already opened to combat COVID-19 in Mexico and Canada," he continued. "I respectfully but strongly call on the Biden administration to release millions of AstraZeneca vaccine doses to countries hardest hit by the spread of COVID-19, including India,” the congressman insisted.