- India will not allow the export of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for several months, the head of Serum Institute of India, which has been contracted to make 1 billion doses of the vaccine for developing nations, said on Sunday (Jan 3).
- With rich nations reserving most of the vaccines that will be made this year, Serum Institute – the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer – is likely to make most of the inoculations for developing countries.
- The ban on exports, however, means that poorer nations will probably have to wait a few months before receiving their first shots.
- The vaccine was granted emergency authorisation by the Indian regulator on Sunday, but on the condition that Serum Institute does not export the shots to ensure that vulnerable populations in India are protected, Adar Poonawalla, the company’s CEO, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
- Poonawalla said his company was planning to give 200 to 300 million doses of the vaccine to COVAX by December 2021. He acknowledged that the company would have to balance distribution of vaccines between India and COVAX.
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