India to receive share of 80 mn vax doses through COVAX: US
India will be receiving a share of the 80 million (8 crores) COVID-19 vaccines through the UN-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing programme that President Joe Biden has announced, according to a senior State Department official.
On June 2, President Biden announced that the US will allocate 75 per cent — nearly 1.9 crores of the first tranche of 2.5 crore doses — of COVID-19 vaccines from its stockpile through the UNbacked COVAX global vaccine sharing programme to countries in South and Southeast Asia as well as Africa. The move is part of his administration’s framework for sharing 80 million (8 crores) vaccines globally by the end of June. According to a White House fact sheet, nearly 19 million vaccines will be shared through COVAX.
“I don’t have the specific details on when the shipment of vaccines will be arriving in India. Of course, India will be in receipt of a share of those 80 million vaccines and through COVAX, I believe there were some six million vaccines destined for the region,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said.
COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, abbreviated as COVAX, is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organisation.
“We know that India has suffered tremendously with this pandemic and as we have done in the case of these vaccines, but also as we did even prior to this vaccine sharing announcement. We have demonstrated our commitment to work closely with our partners in India,” he said.
India records highest fatalities
India’s daily spike of coronavirus cases remained below the 1 lakh mark for the third consecutive day as only 94,052 new infections were recorded during a 24-hour period, according to the Health Ministry on Thursday.
However, highest single-day fatalities with 6,148 new deaths was recorded in the last 24 hours, as Bihar revised its numbers over the past month, after an audit. Bihar reported 3,971 COVID deaths in the last 24 hours after the audit. The cumulative caseload stands at 2,91,83,121, including 2,76,55,493 recoveries, 11,67,952 active cases and 3,59,676 deaths.