India's Covid Surge Creates Vaccine Supply Turmoil Far Beyond Its Borders

The suspension of exports in April has contributed to a 90 million-dose shortfall for Covax, an international vaccine distribution effort, one of the group's key backers said Friday. That number will only grow in May if restrictions are not lifted.

As coronavirus cases surged this month in India, the country that houses the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, the government began to pause vaccine exports. Shipments ground to a halt by mid-April. Now, with domestic need for vaccine in India overwhelming capacity and program extending to adults over 18, it is not clear when India will begin exporting doses again. The suspension of exports in April has contributed to a 90 million-dose shortfall for Covax, an international vaccine distribution effort, one of the group's key backers said Friday. That number will only grow in May if restrictions are not lifted. The limited supply would be a particularly big blow for low-income nations, many of which not only sought India-produced AstraZeneca through Covax but also pursued bilateral deals with Serum Institute of India, the Pune-based vaccine giant.