India has temporarily halted all major exports of AstraZeneca coronavirus shots made by Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine company, to meet domestic demand as infections grow, two sources said. Reuters
Sources said the move would also affect the supply of the GAVI / WHO-supported COVAX vaccine-sharing facility, through which more than 180 countries are expected to deliver the dose.
COVAX has so far received 17.7 million AstraZeneca doses from SII, out of the 60.5 million doses India has shipped in total, and many countries are relying on the program to vaccinate their citizens. There have been no vaccine exports to India since Thursday, the Foreign Ministry website https://www.mea.gov.in/vaccine-supply.htm shows, as the country expands its own vaccination effort.
According to the sources, “Everything else has been minimal for the time being.” Both sources had direct knowledge of the case, but the name declined to be discussed because the discussion is not public.
“No exports, nothing until the situation in India stabilizes. The government will not get such a big opportunity at this time when so much vaccination is required in India. “The Ministry of External Affairs and SII did not immediately respond to requests for comment. SII has already delayed shipments of Astrazenkredg to Brazil, Britain, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. UNICEF, the United Nations children’s agency that is buying and distributing vaccines for COVAX, had no comment.
COVAX has a deal to buy the 1.1 billion doses of AstraZeneca and Novavax shots that SII is making.
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