India delays exports of AstraZeneca shot; Italian situation explained

In the ongoing controversy over COVID-19 vaccine supplies, the India government has put a temporary hold on all major exports of the AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) coronavirus shot made by the Serum Institute of India, to meet domestic demand as infections rise, according to sources cited by India’s Economic Times and other local media.

The move will also affect supplies to the GAVI/WHO-backed global COVAX vaccine-sharing facility, through which 64 lower-income countries are supposed to get doses from SII, the programme's procurement and distributing partner, said the UNICEF.  

"We understand that deliveries of Covid-19 vaccines to lower-income economies participating in the COVAX facility will likely face delays following a setback in securing export licences for further doses of Covid-19 vaccines produced by the Serum Institute of India (SII), expected to be shipped in March and April," UNICEF said in an email, which added: "COVAX is in talks with the government of India with a view to ensuring deliveries as quickly as possible."

Italian stockpiling allegations

Meantime, the European Commission has called on AstraZeneca to explain the origin and intended destination of a stockpile identified by Italian authorities at the Anagni finishing plant.