US lawmakers express concern over India's COVID situation, press Biden to provide help

As India is fighting the world’s fastest-growing renewed wave of infections, several US lawmakers have voiced their concerns over the COVID-19 situation in the country. They are exerting pressure on the Biden administration to extend assistance, release vaccines and other raw materials critical for India. 

Senator Bernie Sanders on Friday said it was also in the United States' own interest to ensure as many people were vaccinated as quickly as possible, to limit the chance of virus mutations that could prompt further US lockdowns. He also appealed to Biden's desire to rebuild the US' credibility in the world.

"On this enormously important health issue, this moral issue, the United States has got to do the right thing," he said at a conference, reported ANI.

US lawmakers extend support

As India hit a global single-day record of more than 300,000 new cases on Friday, Congresswoman Rashida Tlabib said that the US President must support India.

One of the first to extend his support towards India was prominent democrat lawmaker Ed Markey who noted that the US has enough vaccine for Americans and they should not deny help to countries like India who need support.

"India is reporting the world's highest ever single-day COVID case rise. Earth Day is about the health of the planet and everyone and everything on it. The US has more than enough vaccine for every American, but we are denying countries like India desperately needed support," said Markey, reported ANI.

Haley Stevens, Congresswoman for Michigan made an appeal to the federal government and the international community to step in and stop the virus outbreak.

Congressman Greg Meeks also took to Twitter and extended his support to the people of India.

A separate letter has already been sent to the US President Joe Biden by a group of senators that includes Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and nearly 100 members of the House on the issue to waive the intellectual property (IP) rights of pharmaceutical companies.

The United States and a handful of other big countries have blocked negotiations at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) involving a proposal spearheaded by India and South Africa which now has the support of 100 WTO members. The proposal would temporarily waive the IP rights of pharmaceutical companies to allow developing countries to produce vaccines. Supporters are pushing Washington to change course ahead of the next formal WTO meeting on the issue on May 5.

(With ANI Inputs)

(Image Credits: AP/UNSPLASH/PTII/REPRESENTATIVEIMAGE)