Biden admin criticised for not releasing surplus COVID-19 vaccines to India  

The Biden administration has come under criticism from several quarters, including from members and supporters of the Democratic party, for not releasing surplus COVID-19 vaccines to India when the country is experiencing its worst-ever public health crisis.

Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi urged the Biden administration to release doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to countries currently experiencing the deadly surge in COVID-19 cases.

"We 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 said.

To curb the spread of this virus internationally and to protect public health and the international economy, the US needs to get these vaccines out the door now, he said.

"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, Argentina, and potentially others, he added.

Indian-American Congressman from California Ro Khanna said that the leadership of the influential Congressional India Caucus will discuss with the government officials and the Indian envoy in the US to send urgent health supplies to help India fight its battle against coronavirus.

"The US-India caucus leadership will be discussing with government officials and Indian Ambassador on a bipartisan basis to send AZ vaccines we will never use, PPE, oxygen and other immediate aid. Time is of the essence to mobilise," Khanna said on Sunday.

India logged a record of 3,49,691 new coronavirus infections in a day on Sunday, taking its total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,69,60,172. The death toll increased to 1,92,311 with a record 2,767 daily new fatalities, according to the official data.