Coronavirus Vaccine Update: India to get 100 million AstraZeneca's vaccine shots by December 2020

New Delhi, Nov 13: The Pune-based Serum Institute of India (SII) has started ramping up the production of AstraZeneca's Covid-19 shot as it aims to get 100 million doses ready by December.

Indian government may give emergency authorisation as early as December, based on the final-stage trial performance data of the AstraZeneca's candidate, Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla told Bloomberg.

That initial amount of 100 million doses will come to India, Poonawalla said in an interview on November 12.

He added that full approval - expected early next year - will allow distribution on a 50-50 basis with the South Asian nation and Covax, the World Health Organization-backed body that's purchasing shots for poor nations.

"We were a bit concerned it was a big risk. But both AstraZeneca and Novavax's shots are looking pretty good," Bloomberg quoted Poonawalla as saying.

"ICMR has played a huge role in coming forward and strengthening India''s fight against COVID-19. The collaboration will further aid us in putting India at the forefront of developing an immunogenic and efficacious vaccine," he added.

Buoyed by the latest technology and well-equipped facilities, SII has continually proven its research and manufacturing prowess.