Coronavirus Vaccine Won’t Be Available to Everyone Before End of 2024, says Serum Institute Chief

NEW DELHI: As the world is grappling with the pandemic and is eagerly waiting for the official announcement of a vaccine for COVID-19, the chief executive of the world’s largest vaccine manufacturing firm Mr. Adar Poonawalla has said that there isn’t sufficient production of COVID-19 vaccine to meet the global requirements until the end of 2024.

“It’s going to take four to five years until everyone gets the vaccine on this planet,” Poonawalla was quoted as saying.

The Serum Institute of India (SII) chief executive had earlier predicted that if coronavirus shot is a two-dose vaccine, akin to those of measles or rotavirus, then the requirement would be at least 15 billion doses globally.

SII has also partnered with five international pharmaceutical companies, including AAstraZeneca and Novavax, to develop a secure vaccine for the same and has pledged to produce 1 billion doses, promising 50 per cent for India.

Trials for AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine had been restarted in the previous week after seeking permission from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). Simultaneaously, trials for the vaccine had also resumed in the UK following confirmation by the Medicines Health Regulatory Authority (MHRA) after being deemed safe.