India to ‘commence exporting COVID-19 vaccine in weeks’
India will, in two weeks, begin the exportation of COVID-19 vaccines, according to BBC.
India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) had recently granted authorisation for the local production and emergency use of two vaccines developed by AstraZeneca with Oxford University (Covishield) and local firm Bharat Biotech (Covaxin).
India has confirmed over 10 million coronavirus infections, but more than nine million people have recovered.
Adar Poonawalla, CEO of the Serum Institute of India which is manufacturing the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in the country, had been quoted as saying that India would not allow export of the vaccine for “several months”.
However, BBC quoted a foreign ministry official as saying that India will begin exporting the vaccine to its neighbouring Asian countries within a fortnight after the vaccines are rolled out.
“Within a fortnight of the rollout of the vaccines, we will allow exports to some of our South Asian neighbours,” BBC quoted the official as saying.
“Some of these exports will be paid by us as gifts, and the others will be supplied at roughly the same price the government will be buying the vaccines at.
“India is completely conscious of its commitments to neighbours and the rest of the world as the world’s biggest vaccine maker.”
In a joint statement made available on Twitter on Tuesday, Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech said they are committed to “smooth rollout of COVID-19 vaccines to India and the world”.
Important Announcement: Joint statement @BharatBiotech and @SerumInstIndia pic.twitter.com/la5av27Mqy
— SerumInstituteIndia (@SerumInstIndia) January 5, 2021
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Meanwhile, the federal government of Nigeria, in December, said plans are in place to receive 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in early 2021 — it isn’t yet clear which company will supply the expected doses.
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