BRIEF—India's SII to extend freeze on exports of COVID-19 jabs

The world’s biggest vaccine maker, the Serum Institute of India (SII), plans to extend its halt on COVID-19 vaccine exports until the end of the year, according to local media reports and the UK’s Financial Times.

SII chief executive Adar Poonawalla stated: “We continue to scale up manufacturing and prioritize India,” explaining that he was making the statement in response to “intense discussion” over a decision to export vaccines at the start of the year, which was followed by a sudden freeze on shipments imposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government in March as virus cases surged.

The Institute’s CEO had previously said he hoped to resume exports in June, but only if the number of coronavirus cases in India began to decline.

The group’s latest announcement is a big blow to Covax, a World Health Organization-backed global vaccine program that aims to provide 2 billion doses to the developing world in 2021, noted the FT.