India’s COVID-19 Vaccine Shortage Will Last Till July: Adar Poonawalla

Mumbai: Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla has told the Financial Times that India’s COVID-19 vaccine shortage would continue till July when production is expected to increase from about 60-70 million doses a month to 100 million

In the absence of vaccines, the immunization drive of the age group between 18-44 has been affected in many states including Maharashtra and Delhi. The vaccination program was scheduled to begin on 1 May.

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The Financial Times report quoted Poonawalla as saying that the production of the Covishield dose is expected to increase from 60-70 million vaccines a month to around 100 million in July. ”

He also said that the authorities did not spread the second wave of coronovirus in January as the cases remained on the lower side. Poonawala said, “Everybody really felt that India had started to turn the tide on the pandemic.”

Reportedly, the SII chief alleged that the vaccine manufacturer has been misrepresented by politicians and critics on the vaccine shortage. He drew the government’s attention to the problem and said that it is responsible for the policy. The company also attracted criticism for pricing the state government, after which prices were lowered.

The vaccine manufacturer is engaged in the production of the COVID19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford and has already supplied 90 per cent of the vaccine supplements to Indian residents.

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