India’s Serum Institute resumes vaccine exports to COVAX

By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL
AP Science Writer

NEW DELHI (AP) — The Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine maker, has resumed exports of coronavirus vaccines to the U.N.-backed COVAX distribution program after halting most overseas sales in March. The company was to have been COVAX’s main supplier, but an explosion of cases in India resulted in a cutoff of exports. At the time, it had contracts to provide COVAX with 200 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, and unfinalized agreements to supply 550 million more. The cutoff was a significant setback for global efforts to distribute vaccines equitably. New infections in India have fallen to the lowest level in months, and the first new exports under the COVAX program, destined for Nepal and Tajikistan, are leaving Friday.