We will be supplying vaccines abroad only after end of this year: Serum Institute

DELHI: Serum Institute, an Indian vaccine manufacturer, has said that the supply of vaccines will start only by the end of 2021.

The company, which has been producing the Covishield vaccine, said in a statement that the vaccine could not be supplied abroad immediately after intensive discussions with the government.

Chief Executive Officer of Serum, Aadhar Punewala, said in a statement that there was an urgent need for a vaccine within India. “We are confident that the vaccine supply will start from the end of this year,” he said.

The Serum Institute has been producing vaccines developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford under the Indian name Covishield. Nepal has already bought 2 million doses of the vaccine produced by Serum.

One million doses of vaccine are yet to arrive in Nepal from India. Nepal’s vaccination campaign will be affected if Serum does not send vaccines immediately.