How India Could Benefit From A US Stockpile Of AstraZeneca Vaccine Amid The Shortage Here
India which is struggling to contain the out-of-control spread of the second wave of COVID-19 has been getting help from countries around the world in the form of Oxygen cylinders, tankers, oxygen concentrators, emergency medicines, etc.
The US is one of the many countries that has offered to help India during these tough times.
Vaccines from US soon?
Among others, that the US is offering India to combat the outbreak, it is now reported that Washington may soon ship AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to the country.
According to a report by Reuters, India expects to secure the biggest chunk of the 60 million AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses that the United States will share globally.
On Monday, the White House said 10 million doses could be cleared for export ˇ°in coming weeksˇ± and the rest by June. It has not revealed potential beneficiaries, but the sources said India could gain the most.
"The wheels of diplomacy and appeals from WHO and top public health experts changed their thinking and now we have the US ready to send vaccines," an unnamed PMO source told Reuters.
"We are not sure how many we will receive. All I can say here is, our bowl is the largest and deepest."
Speaking to Reuters after a telephone conversation between PM Modi and President Joe Biden on vaccine raw materials, the second official said India was lobbying hard to get more than 35% of the AstraZeneca doses.
"Our prime minister has been assured that India will be given priority; the ratio of Indian share is being worked out," said the official.
At this point, it is still unclear who is going to pay for the vaccines or the costs involved.
Several states including Maharashtra have said that they are exploring possibilities of importing vaccines on their own.
On this, the Reuters source said "We are facilitating," he added. "Some states have the money and they are willing to pay for it, whether it's for local or imported vaccines."
Last month, it was reported that tens of millions of doses of the coronavirus vaccine made by AstraZeneca are sitting idle in the US manufacturing facility.
This is because the vaccine co-developed by Oxford University is yet to be authorized to use in the country.
The US had cleared, the COVID-19 vaccines made by Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnson, while the Oxford vaccine is still under clinical trial.
It also reported that AstraZenecaˇŻs vaccine is the subject of an intense debate among White House and federal health officials, with some arguing the administration should let the stockpile be exported abroad where they are desperately needed, while others are not ready to relinquish them, according to senior administration officials.
