Will try to supply more doses of COVID-19 vaccine to UK later: Serum Institute

New Delhi, Mar 19: Serum Institute of India (SII) has said it will try to supply more doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to the United Kingdom later, based on the current situation and requirement for the government immunisation programme in India.

The UK's National Health Service has warned of a significant reduction in weekly supplies of vaccines to protect against COVID-19 by the end of this month.

When contacted, a spokesperson for SII 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 requirement for the government immunisation programme in India".

Last month, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla had urged other countries to be patient as they wait for the supplies of COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, as the company has been directed to prioritise the needs of India.

Apart from making efforts to meet the requirements of India, the vaccine major is also trying its best to balance the needs of the rest of the world, he had said.

"Dear countries and governments, as you await #COVISHIELD supplies, I humbly request you to please be patient, @SerumInstIndia has been directed to prioritise the huge needs of India and along with that balance the needs of the rest of the world. We are trying our best", Poonawalla had said in a tweet.