IMPACT Launches #SendIndiaVaccines Campaign to Urge Biden-Harris Administration to Take Bold Global Action on COVID-19

PHILADELPHIA — IMPACT is planning a seven figure campaign to call on the White House to act swiftly to send India surplus vaccines.

“India just reported the highest single daily death toll of any country during the pandemic, while the United States will be sitting on a surplus of over 100 million vaccines,” says Neil Makhija, Executive Director of IMPACT. “We could be saving millions of lives, and instead we are bearing witness to a humanitarian crisis that will leave the United States at risk of exposure to new Covid-19 variants. The Biden administration needs to act immediately to send these lifesaving vaccines to India and take steps to end the pandemic globally. We can’t afford to wait any longer.” 

IMPACT and a coalition of national partners including Indiaspora, Pratham USA, NAAIS, SAAPRI, and more will advocate in Washington D.C. in support of the #SendIndiaVaccines campaign to galvanize the diaspora by launching a digital ad campaign, collaborating with key celebrities and influencers, and doing targeted community outreach. 

While the Biden administration has taken a first step by sending aid to India and committing to share the vaccines globally, this moment requires a response proportional to the scale of the crisis. The NOVID Act, spearheaded by Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), would allocate $19 billion to fight the pandemic globally. That is the kind of response we need to truly defeat this virus.

“As strong proponents of a close U.S.-India relationship, we are hopeful that the Biden-Harris administration will continue to assist India by releasing critically needed surplus vaccine supplies,” says Sanjeev Joshipura, Executive Director of Indiaspora. 

“The coronavirus pandemic is a global scourge, and the only way we can end it is through a unified, global approach that recognizes that so long as the virus continues to spread anywhere, it’s a threat to people everywhere. That’s why I’m sponsoring the NOVID Act to dramatically expand US coronavirus aid abroad to India and other nations facing major outbreaks,” says Rep. Krishnamoorthi. “This aid is not only morally the right thing to do, it is also in our nation’s best interests. We will pursue my NOVID legislation vigorously in Congress and urge the Biden Administration to adopt these measures administratively even in the absence of legislation. We have no time to waste in putting an end to COVID.”

###IMPACT supports advocacy and power-building in the Indian American community by leveraging our collective power, building coalitions to achieve greater elected and appointed representation in government, boosting civic engagement, and protecting our civil rights, including voting rights. Visit our website at www.iaimpact.org to learn more.