India slaps ban on Covid-19 vaccine export

The head of the Serum Institute of India (SII) Adar Poonawalla on Sunday said that the country will not allow export of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine for several months. 

But India has already been contracted to make 1 billion doses of the vaccine for developing nations, reports livemint. 

While the rich nations reserve most of the vaccines that will be made in the year 2021, SII, which is also the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, was expected to make most of the vaccines for developing countries. 

The ban on exports, however, means that poorer countries need to wait a few months before receiving the vaccine. 

Earlier in the day, the vaccine received emergency authorisation from the Indian regulator with the condition that SII will not export the shots to protect its own vulnerable citizens. 

The company has also been barred from selling the vaccine on the private market.