SII resumes exports to COVAX, produces 1.25 bn Covishield doses this year

Serum Institute of India (SII) on Friday said it has resumed exports to the international vaccine sharing programme COVAX. The Pune-based firm has also produced a total of over 1.25 billion doses of Covishield, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine this year.

The first batches of Covishield left the SII manufacturing facility in Pune earlier today, for distribution to low- and middle-income countries via the COVAX mechanism, the company said.

SII’s supply of doses via COVAX is expected to increase substantially into the first quarter of 2022.

"The resumption of exports is linked to SII surpassing its original target to produce 1bn doses