Oct. 21: Indian vaccine maker Serum Institute of India (SII) has said that it had to dump 100 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine after they expired. The firm stopped producing Covishield in December last year due to low demand, CEO Adar Poonawalla said.
SII, the world’s largest vaccine maker, has been making the local version of AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria jab. Covishield accounts for over 90% of the doses given in India.
In January 2022, India began giving boosters to healthcare and frontline workers, and those above 60 years with comorbidities. It was later expanded to all adults.
Meanwhile, Poonawala said the SII had completed trials for the Covid vaccine Covovax as a booster dose. The company expects the vaccine to get approval within the next two weeks. It has also partnered with the US biotech company Novavax for an Omicron-specific booster, he said.
