Curbs On Travel From India Start May 4 As White House Defends Aid Efforts
Starting tomorrow, entry into the U.S. will be banned for all non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents traveling from India. Meanwhile, the Biden administration faces criticism that it isn't doing enough to help the covid-ravaged nation.
CNBC:
U.S. To Restrict Travel From India Effective May 4
The new travel order isn’t expected to ban flights, but rather non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have recently been in India — a similar format as restrictions that have been placed on much travel from the EU, China and Brazil, according to a person familiar with the matter. (Breuninger and Lovelace Jr., 4/30)
The Washington Post:
Biden Officials Say U.S. Doing All It Can To Help India
White House officials said Sunday they are doing all they can to help India cope with the country’s escalating coronavirus crisis, pushing back against criticism that the United States should be moving faster on actions such as waiving patent rights on vaccines. In interviews on several political shows Sunday, Biden administration officials emphasized the aid the United States has already delivered to its South Asian ally, including sending the first planeloads of medical supplies and oxygen to the country on Friday. The United States has also diverted raw materials for vaccines to India. (Wang, 5/2)
Axios:
Fauci: India Should "Temporarily Shut Down" Amid COVID-19 Rise
White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci said in an interview that India ought to consider a temporary shutdown as the country currently faces the worst coronavirus outbreak in the world. India on Saturday for the first time reported more than 400,000 new coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period, Reuters writes. The country also reported a total of 211,853 deaths. (Gonzalez, 5/1)
CNBC:
U.S. To Discuss Wider Covid Vaccine Licensing As India Calls To Waive Patent Protections
White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain said Sunday that the Biden administration is looking to distribute the coronavirus vaccine to India and other countries now that millions of Americans have received their doses. In recent weeks, India has grappled with a staggering rise in new coronavirus infections. Over the weekend, India reported 400,000 daily cases, bringing the nation’s cumulative total to 19,557,457 cases, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins. The spike may have been triggered by a highly contagious Covid variant, known as B.1.617, which was first identified in the country. (Macias, 5/2)
In related news about India —
Reuters:
India’s COVID-19 Cases Near 20 Million, Peak Seen Nearing
India reported more than 300,000 new coronavirus infections for a 12th straight day on Monday to take its overall number of cases to just shy of 20 million, as scientists predicted a peak in the pandemic in the coming days. With 368,147 new cases over the past 24 hours, India's total infections stand at 19.93 million, while total fatalities rose by 3,417 to 218,959, according to health ministry data. (Mehta and Jamkhandikar, 4/3)
Axios:
Australia Bans All Arrivals From India
The Australian government said late Friday that its citizens and residents who have been in India within the past two weeks will be barred from re-entry starting Monday. Government officials said that anyone who disobeys the ban will face fines and up to five years imprisonment, making it the first time Australia has made it a criminal offense for its citizens to go home, per Reuters. (Gonzalez, 5/1)
Reuters:
Pfizer In Talks With India Over Expedited Approval For COVID-19 Vaccine
Pfizer is in discussions with the Indian government seeking an "expedited approval pathway" for its COVID-19 vaccine, its CEO Albert Bourla said on LinkedIn on Monday, announcing a donation of medicines worth more than $70 million. "Unfortunately, our vaccine is not registered in India although our application was submitted months ago," he said. (%/3)
Axios:
Foreign Aid Pours Into India As COVID-19 Crisis Worsens
Countries around the world are sending supplies and aid to India to help the country fight its COVID-19 outbreak, currently the world's worst. Hospitals are running out of supplies, crematoriums are burning around the clock, and experts are increasingly concerned about the presence of a new variant in India. (Saric, 5/2)
Axios:
Fire In COVID-19 Hospital Ward In India Kills 18 Patients
A fire in a COVID-19 ward in the Welfare Hospital in Bharuch, a town in Gujarat state in western India, killed at least 18 patients on Saturday, according to AP. The blaze — the cause of which is being investigated — comes on the heels of several tragedies involving coronavirus patients as hospitals across the country struggle with oxygen supplies amid a massive spike in new cases and a slowed vaccine rollout. (Knutson, 5/1)
