Devotees are seen on the banks of the Ganges river during Kumbh Mela, or the Pitcher Festival, amidst the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Haridwar, India, April 12, 2021. (Reuters)
The US will immediately provide raw materials for COVID-19 vaccines, medical equipment and protective gear to help India respond to a massive surge in COVID-19 infections, a White House spokeswoman said on Sunday.
“The US is working around the clock to deploy available resources and supplies,” National Security Council spokeswoman Emily Horne said in a statement.
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She said the US would send raw materials required for India to manufacture the Covishield vaccine, as well as therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators and protective equipment for frontline workers.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all citizens to be vaccinated and exercise caution, as the country set a global record for new COVID-19 infections in a single day.
The US was also is pursuing options to provide India with oxygen generation and related supplies.
Washington, which has faced mounting pressure to help the world’s largest democracy, would also send a team of experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US Agency for International Development to work with India on the crisis, Horne said.
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