Priyanka Chopra Jonas on US President pledging support to India amid COVID spike
After global star Priyanka Chopra Jonas urged the World Health Organisation (WHO) to provide vaccines for coronavirus to India on an urgent basis and tweeted about the US ordering more vaccines than needed, she shared a follow-up post on the ongoing situation. She has earlier alleged that in such a grave condition, the United States government has requested 550 million more vaccines than required. The actress on Wednesday took to her Twitter and thanked the US for committing to support India in the crucial time.
"The scale of the COVID crisis in India is devastating and has accelerated so quickly even over just this past week. We see the steep and alarming spike in cases, and none of us have seen anything like it, even in this pandemic. I’m thankful that in the past few days the US and other countries have answered the call of India to send urgent medical assistance and lift measures preventing Indian vaccine producers from accessing the materials they need to make doses. I was also relieved to hear that the US will share up to 60 million AstraZeneca doses with countries in need. This is a crucial step," she wrote in an elaborated statement on Twitter.
On Monday, US President Joe Biden pledged to support India in fighting Covid-19 crisis through emergency assistance such as ventilators and vaccine raw materials.
Adding to the same, Priyanka said, "My concern was the US had not yet said when and where they’ll actually be delivered. I am heartened by President Biden’s additional comments yesterday that he intends to send vaccines to India in the near future. So far the US has confirmed, pending FDA approval, that 10 million doses could be shared within the next few weeks. However, it could take months before the remaining 50 million are delivered."
"We need to do everything possible to help stop the spread of the virus in India, and that requires more ready-made doses for the country’s 1.4 billion people. While India is the world’s biggest vaccine producer, so far according to Our World in Data it has only been able to provide doses for under 10% of its population, with only 1.6% being fully vaccinated with 2 doses," the actress added.
Priyanka said she strongly feel that the US and other wealthy nations should share doses as soon as possible with those in urgent need. "Meanwhile, the US has ordered more than 550 million doses beyond the needs of its population. This is why I strongly believe that the US and other wealthy nations should share doses as soon as possible with those in urgent need, including India, and why I’m supporting Global Citizen’s Vax Live campaign and so can you," she wrote.
"Beyond sharing vaccines, we also need the pharmaceutical industry to act. While some vaccine manufacturers have made vaccines available to the global vaccine sharing program COVAX and developing countries at not for profit prices, others like Moderna have yet to make this commitment. At the very least, they should agree to provide doses to vaccinate community health workers in the worst-hit countries immediately through COVAX at a significantly discounted price. More vaccines for COVAX will not just help India but many countries around the world. Please use your voice to demand these vaccines be sent out as soon as possible. As President Macron — who has already shared 100,000 vaccine doses with Africa this month — has said, ‘The time has come to share," The White Tiger actress concluded.
This is not the first time that Priyanka has used her social media to spread awareness for COVID 19. The actress keep sharing helplines numbers to support her fans and followers who are struggling for hospital beds, oxygen cylinders and medicines across the country.
On the work front, Priyanka has begun shooting for her upcoming film Citadel. "Citadel" is helmed by "Avengers" makers Joe and Anthony Russo, and the spy thriller series, co-starring Richard Madden, is billed as an ambitious global event for OTT.
