Unite in beating Coronavirus: Adar Poonawalla requests Joe Biden to lift embargo of raw material exports out of US to ramp up vaccine production

New Delhi: SII CEO Adar Poonawalla on Friday requested US President Joe Biden to lift the embargo on the export of raw materials so that manufacturing of vaccines can be ramped up in India amidst Coronavirus pandemic.

Adar Poonawalla Tweeted, “if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details.”

Respected @POTUS, if we are to truly unite in beating this virus, on behalf of the vaccine industry outside the U.S., I humbly request you to lift the embargo of raw material exports out of the U.S. so that vaccine production can ramp up. Your administration has the details. ??

— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) April 16, 2021

The country started its vaccination drive on January 16 with priority given to all healthcare and frontline workers in the first phase. The second phase started on March 1 where doses are being administered to people above the age of 60 and those between 45 and 59 years with specific comorbidities.

From April 1, the government has decided to vaccinate all above 45 years.

Currently, Covishied and Covaxin vaccines are being used in India.

As on Day-90 of the vaccination drive (15th April, 2021), 27,30,359 vaccine doses were given. Out of which, 21,70,144 beneficiaries were vaccinated across 39,280 sessions for first dose and 5,60,215 beneficiaries received second dose of vaccine, it said.

It further informed that more than 26 crore tests have been conducted across the country and the cumulative positivity rate stands at 5.42 per cent.