Covax Expecting 250Mn Donated Doses in 6-8 Weeks: WHO

Covax is expecting to receive 250 million donated Covid-19 vaccine doses over the next six to eight weeks, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

The influx of doses is a major boost for the scheme, which is aimed at ensuring poorer countries can access jabs and has so far delivered 152 million vaccine doses to 137 participating territories, according to AFP.

In a weekly operational update issued Wednesday, the WHO said that at a recent UN Crisis Management Team meeting it "reported that there will be increased vaccine donations to the Covax facility, projecting an additional 250 million vaccines over the next six to eight weeks".

Covax is co-led by the WHO, the Gavi vaccine alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, with UNICEF using its vaccine logistics expertise to handle the delivery flights.

Under Covax, the 92 poorest countries can access jabs for free, with donors covering the cost.

The Serum Institute of India plant, producing AstraZeneca doses, was supposed to be the early backbone of Covax's supply chain -- but India restricted exports to combat its own devastating coronavirus surge.