India had made a general request for help to the U.S and other countries to fight against COVID-19, and not specifically for ready-to-use vaccines.
India has been grappling with a surge in COVID-19 cases as the second wave of infection hits the country. There is a shortage of beds, ventilators, and medical oxygen in hospitals. In the wake of the current situation, Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar tweeted seeking help from all the countries. Likewise, U.S lawmakers have been putting pressure on the Biden administration to release vaccines and other aid materials to India as it is currently facing a shortage of vaccines. Some media reports suggested that the U.S has been sitting on extra doses of unused vaccines and reluctant to ship those vaccines to India and other worst-affected countries.
The U.S official refuted the claim that they did not receive any specific request from the Indian side for vaccine supply. This was corroborated by a Washington Post report which said that the White House official confirmed that Modi did not request any of the ready-to-use vaccine doses during a call with Biden. However, the U.S will send other supplies, including raw materials to manufacture the vaccine, ventilators, personal protective equipment, oxygen-related supplies, and therapeutic medicines.
Furthermore, the statement issued by the White House also did not mention that the Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval requested for supply of vaccines. It stated that both the countries would fight the pandemic together and expand the manufacturing capability. At the same time, the U.S will provide raw materials for vaccines and other supplies on an urgent basis.
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to a lot of potentially dangerous misinformation. For reliable advice on COVID-19 including symptoms, prevention and available treatment, please refer to the World Health Organisation or your national healthcare authority.
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