Release AstraZeneca vaccine to India says Indian-American lawmaker to Biden

Washington:As more countries are experiencing a massive spike in covid-19 cases, Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi on Saturday called on US President Joe Biden's administration to release doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to countries, including India, which are in dire need.

"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," Mr Krishnamoorthi said in a statement.

"In order to curb the spread of this virus internationally and to protect public health and our international economy, we need to get these vaccines out the door now. 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.

On Saturday, India recorded 3,46,786 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day spike since the pandemic broke out last year.