<p>The United States will soon be able to ramp up vaccine assistance abroad and will not seek "favours in return," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday, putting a veteran aid administrator in charge.</p>.<p>Blinken said the top US priority was to fight Covid-19 at home but that the goal would be achieved soon, pointing to President Joe Biden's promise that 90 per cent of Americans will be near a vaccination site by April 19.</p>.<p>"We are exploring options to share more with other countries going forward. We believe that we'll be in a position to do much more on this front," Blinken said.</p>.<p>"By helping bring to a close one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, we can show the world once again what American leadership and American ingenuity can do."</p>.<p>Acknowledging "growing desperation" in parts of the world, Blinken said: "I promise we're moving as fast as possible."</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/india-russia-to-try-to-ease-wrinkles-in-ties-over-quad-970735.html" target="_blank">India, Russia to try to ease wrinkles in ties over Quad</a></strong></p>.<p>Blinken named Gayle Smith, who headed the US Agency for International Development under former president Barack Obama, to a new position of US coordinator for global Covid response and health security.</p>.<p>Smith most recently headed ONE, a campaign backed by pop star Bono to fight extreme poverty.</p>.<p>In a veiled criticism of China and Russia, which have assertively promoted their vaccines, Blinken said the Biden administration would follow "core values" on Covid relief and seek not to worsen inequities.</p>.<p>"We won't trade shots in arms for political favors. This is about saving lives," Blinken said.</p>.<p>"We'll treat our partner countries with respect. We won't overpromise and under-deliver," he said, vowing only to distribute vaccines "proven to be safe and effective."</p>.<p>The United States last month announced a joint initiative with India, Japan and Australia to produce more than one billion more Covid doses by the end of next year, with a focus on administering them in Southeast Asia.</p>
<p>The United States will soon be able to ramp up vaccine assistance abroad and will not seek "favours in return," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday, putting a veteran aid administrator in charge.</p>.<p>Blinken said the top US priority was to fight Covid-19 at home but that the goal would be achieved soon, pointing to President Joe Biden's promise that 90 per cent of Americans will be near a vaccination site by April 19.</p>.<p>"We are exploring options to share more with other countries going forward. We believe that we'll be in a position to do much more on this front," Blinken said.</p>.<p>"By helping bring to a close one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, we can show the world once again what American leadership and American ingenuity can do."</p>.<p>Acknowledging "growing desperation" in parts of the world, Blinken said: "I promise we're moving as fast as possible."</p>.<p><strong>Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/india-russia-to-try-to-ease-wrinkles-in-ties-over-quad-970735.html" target="_blank">India, Russia to try to ease wrinkles in ties over Quad</a></strong></p>.<p>Blinken named Gayle Smith, who headed the US Agency for International Development under former president Barack Obama, to a new position of US coordinator for global Covid response and health security.</p>.<p>Smith most recently headed ONE, a campaign backed by pop star Bono to fight extreme poverty.</p>.<p>In a veiled criticism of China and Russia, which have assertively promoted their vaccines, Blinken said the Biden administration would follow "core values" on Covid relief and seek not to worsen inequities.</p>.<p>"We won't trade shots in arms for political favors. This is about saving lives," Blinken said.</p>.<p>"We'll treat our partner countries with respect. We won't overpromise and under-deliver," he said, vowing only to distribute vaccines "proven to be safe and effective."</p>.<p>The United States last month announced a joint initiative with India, Japan and Australia to produce more than one billion more Covid doses by the end of next year, with a focus on administering them in Southeast Asia.</p>