US citizen ‘impressed’ with Kerala’s Covid response, moves HC saying he wants to stay there

July 11: A 74-yr-old US national, Johnny Paul Pierce, wants to stay longer in India as he thinks country has handled the Covid crisis better than the Unites States. 

Pierce, who is staying in Kerala’s Kochi from the past five months, has filed a petition in Kerala High Court to convert his tourist visa into a business visa. The conversion of his visa will allow him extend his stay for another 180 days in Kerala.

“There’s chaos in US due to coronavirus pandemic and govt is not taking care like Indian govt. I want to stay here,” Pierce told ANI.

Pierce also wants to stay for another 180 days in Kerala and start a travel company. He is not happy with the way American people have handled the coronavirus pandemic. “I am very impressed with what’s is happening here. People in the US don’t care about Covid-19,” said Johnny Paul Pierce.

Pierce also wants his family to join him in India, “I wish my family could also come here,” he said.

With a record single-day increase of 27,114 cases, India’s COVID-19 tally zoomed past the eight-lakh mark on Saturday, just four days after crossing the seven-lakh post, according to health ministry data.

The number of confirmed US infections is over 3 million, experts fear that hospitals will be overwhelmed soon. More than 133,000 Americans have died, a toll that experts warn will likely surge along with the rise in cases.

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/this-us-citizen-wants-to-stay-longer-in-india-as-there-is-covid-chaos-in-america-11594448470637.html