Covax urgently needs 20 million vaccines to cover supply disruption due to India Covid crisis, says WHO

COVAX, the global alliance to ensure equitable access to Covid vaccines, urgently needs 20 million doses to cover interruptions in supply triggered by increased demands for jabs in India.

COVAX, the global alliance to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, urgently needs 20 million doses to cover interruptions in supply triggered by increased demands for jabs in India, which is the main supplier of the AstraZeneca vaccines, the World Health Organisation said on Monday. Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's largest vaccine-maker by volume, is manufacturing Covishield, the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and British-Swedish pharma major AstraZeneca. "COVAX urgently needs 20 million doses during the second quarter of 2021 to cover interruptions in supply triggered by increased demands for vaccines in India where COVAX’s main supplier of the AstraZeneca product is based," according to a WHO press release.