In a bid to increase the production capacity of vaccination from 2.5 billion to 3 billion doses a year within six months. The Serum Institute of India, which manufactures the AstraZeneca coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine, is planning to start vaccine production in other countries as it struggles to meet supply commitments.
Poonawalla said last week that the Serum Institute would be able to raise its monthly output to 100 million doses by July, later than a previous timeline of end-May. Several states in India have run out of vaccines against COVID-19.
He hoped to increase the Serum Institute’s production capacity from 2.5 billion to 3 billion doses a year within six months, the Times reported, adding that he flew to London before Britain banned travellers from India eight days ago.
Coronavirus cases and deaths have surged in India as the world’s second-most populous country has reported more than 300,000 new infections daily for nine consecutive days, hitting another global record of 386,452 on Friday.
The surge has led to a public health crisis and forced the government to seek oxygen, medicines and other essentials from abroad. There’s going to be an announcement in the next few days,” Adar Poonawalla said .
