U.S. to Hand Out COVID Vaccine Raw Materials to India
Patients who are infected with Covid-19 coronavirus can be seen wearing Oxygen masks as free Oxygen was supplied as a part of public service for the people in need by a Gurdwara or a Sikh Holy place amid the rising concerns over lack of Oxygen on April 24, 2021 in New Delhi, India. With recorded cases crossing 300,000 a day, India has more than 2 million active cases of Covid-19, the second-highest number in the world after the U.S. A new wave of the pandemic has totally overwhelmed the country's healthcare services and has caused crematoriums to operate day and night as the number of victims continues to spiral out of control. Anindito Mukherjee/Getty Images

The U.S. is set to give COVID vaccine materials to India. This also includes medical equipment and protective gear.

This is part of efforts to help India's response to a huge surge of COVID cases in their country, according to a White House spokeswoman.

"The United States is working around the clock to deploy available resources and supplies," National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne was quoted in an NBC News report.

Horne said that the materials would help India create the Covishield vaccine. In addition to that, the U.S. is also set to send out therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, and ventilators.

However, Horne did not specify if there would be a donation of any existing vaccine doses that the U.S. currently has.

Several experts have called for the U.S. to donate its supply of AstraZeneca's shot, according to a Business Insider report.

Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of Brown University School of Public Health said that the U.S.' efforts to help India are excellent steps while citing that the U.S. did not mention using the AstraZeneca supply.

On Sunday, the country's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said U.S. officials are considering sending India its unused COVID vaccine from AstraZeneca, according to a Nikkei Asia report.

Vice President Kamala Harris released a statement through Twitter, saying that the federal government is working closely with the Indian government to rapidly send out help and supplies during India's alarming COVID surge.

"We pray for the people of India-including its courageous healthcare workers," Harris was quoted in a report.

Horne said that the U.S. would also send a team of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the U.S. Agency for International Development to India.

President Joe Biden said that the U.S. is determined to help India in its time of need.

Meanwhile, U.K. has already handed out help to India by sending ventilators and oxygen.

Global Efforts

France and Germany have also sent out much-needed oxygen to India while it is battling the world's worst outbreak.

Its traditional adversary, Pakistan, has also offered medical equipment and supplies. Its prime minister, Imran Khan, also offered a speedy recovery to the country, according to The Guardian report.

U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson said that Britain is side by side with India as a friend and partner.

Johnson added that he is determined to make sure that the U.K. does everything it can to support India's fight against the pandemic.

The U.K. package includes 495 oxygen concentrators; 120 non-invasive ventilators; and 20 manual ventilators.

The package is expected to arrive in Delhi on Tuesday. Further shipments would arrive later in the week.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged citizens to be vaccinated, adding caution as the country sets a global record for new COVID infections in a day.

Meanwhile, burial grounds in New Delhi are running out of space with funeral pyres lighting up the night sky in other badly affected cities.

India has reported 349,691 new cases on Sunday, which marks a global record for the fourth consecutive days.

Vaccinations have been few with less than two percent of the population fully immunized.

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