Indian Vaccine Export: Black marketing of the Covid-19 vaccine might not trouble India after all. Recent reports confirm that the Indian vaccine maker Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla has been strictly told that the Indian government approved Astra Zeneca Oxford vaccine will not be available into the private market for several months, after it is released for inoculations. 

The vaccine was granted approval for emergency use last week. This approval has come in on the condition that the institute does not export the vaccine doses, in order the supply can meet the large Indian population.

It is worth noting that the Serum Institute of India has already received an order of one billion doses to be made for consumption in developing countries. But with a curb on the export of the vaccine, the promising plan put together by an independent NGO and UN, the Covax plan might not be adhered to.

Under the Covax plan, each developed country that was purchasing vaccines would be expected to keep in mind the need of developing nations and use the vaccines under a quota system. The vaccine in the tune of 100million doses being given to the Indian government would cost Rs. 200 while they would go upto five times, as they hit the private market in later months. 

The Serum Institute of India has already agreed to supply 200-300 million doses under the Covax agreement. However, as per current understanding, the delivery will be prioritized over India’s immediate need for inoculation of the needy and elderly. In the past few months, NRIs residing in India are known to have travelled to the UK in order to get themselves and their families inoculated. 

India has a sizable population of migrants and needy. It will be almost mid of next year till the time vaccine can actually become available in the open market.