Serum Institute of India (SII) Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla on Monday said that the world will see a shortage of the coronavirus vaccine in the first six months of 2021.
"India is a part of COVAX. We will keep giving 50% of everything we make to India and to COVAX at the same time. India has such a large population that we will probably end up giving the majority of those 50 million doses to India first. The first six months of 2021 will see a shortage globally. Nobody can help that. But we will see easing off by August-September 2021 as other vaccine manufacturers also being able to supply," Poonawalla said.
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As many as 40-50 million doses of Covishield have been stockpiled, he said. "Once we get regulatory approvals in a few days, it will be down to the government to decide how much they can take and how fast. We will be producing around 300 million doses by July 2021," he added.
Last month, Serum had rejected charges that a 40-year-old man who took part in the 'Covishield' vaccine trial in Chennai had levelled against the company, alleging serious side effects, including a virtual neurological breakdown and impairment of cognitive functions. He had also sought Rs 5 crore compensation in a legal notice to Serum and others, besides seeking a halt on the trial.
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Refuting the charges, Serum had said, "It is evident that the intention behind spreading of such malicious information is an oblique pecuniary motive.
The Serum Institute of India, will seek damages in excess of Rs 100 crore for the same and will defend such malicious claims".
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