How the US can help the COVID crisis in India

Dr. Amita Gupta, David Peters, and Brian Wahl outline 9 steps that the Biden Administration should take to help India respond to COVID-19.



This is an urgent humanitarian crisis with global implications. While humanitarian assistance is a moral obligation, supporting India in this time of need is also in the best interest of the U.S. and the world. As cases increase and the virus replicates, there is an increased chance that an even more transmissible variant could emerge and threaten the hard-won progress we have attained in the U.S. through vaccination.

We are encouraged by the Biden administration’s initial pledge of support, as it follows several elements in our proposed nine-point plan to address India’s crisis.



One, work with World Health Organization (WHO) member nations and Indian health authorities on the immediate transfer of surplus vaccines now stockpiled in the U.S. and other countries, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical supplies.