India shortfall behind UK's Covid vaccine supply delay

Coronavirus chronicle

TBS Report
18 March, 2021, 04:10 pm
Last modified: 18 March, 2021, 04:13 pm
The shipment, produced by the Serum Institute of India, has been held up by four weeks
Patients could be discharged early from hospital under the government’s plan. Photograph: Nick Moore/Alamy Stock Photo

An expected reduction in the UK's Covid vaccine supply in April is partly due to a delay in a delivery from India of five million Oxford-AstraZeneca doses.

The shipment, produced by the Serum Institute of India, has been held up by four weeks, reports the BBC.

UK Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said neither a single factory nor a country was responsible for supply issues.

The Department of Health insists it is still on track to offer a first dose to all adults by the end of July.

NHS England warned of a reduction in supply in April in a letter to local health organisations on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the Serum Institute said: "Five million doses had been delivered a few weeks ago to the UK and we will try to supply more later, based on the current situation and the requirement for the government immunisation programme in India."

Related Topics

UK / covid-19 vaccine / Serum Institute of India (SII)

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