Intend to send COVID-19 vaccines to India, says US President Joe Biden

As India battles the second wave of the Covid pandemic, US President Joe Bidn has said that his "intention" is to send vaccines to the country.

The development comes aday after the United States announced it will make60 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid vaccine available to other countries within twomonths.Before any AstraZeneca doses can be shipped from the United States, US FDA needs to give its nod.

Recalling his talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, President Biden said,"I spoke at length with PM Modi, we are sending immediately a whole series of help that it (India) needs including providing for those Remdesivir and other drugs that are able to deal" with the disease and help recovery."

On vaccines, he said, "we are sending actual mechanical parts that are needed for the machinery they have to build a vaccine", adding, "I have also discussed with him (PM Modi) when we will be able to send actual vaccines to India which will be my intention to do".

TheUnited States has approvedthreevaccines so far, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. And while AstraZeneca is being used in many parts of the world, it has not been authorised for use in the US yet. But despite no authorisation yet, the country still has stockpiled the vaccine doses as part of its strategy to be ready for a range of scenarios.

Biden said,"I think we will be in a position to share vaccines as well as knowhow with other countries who are in real need. That is the hope and expectations."

In the backdrop of the Covid crisis in India, the US over the weekend announced assistance includingproviding raw material for Indian manufactures to produce the Covishield vaccine. Other than that, the US will send therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, and Personal Protective Equipment.

The president also lauded India's support of last year, saying, "when we were in a bind at the very beginning, India helped us." In 2020, India had sent HCQ to the US when it was battling the Covid pandemic.