‘India’s Covidshield export restrictions won’t affect SL’

India’s decision to restrict the import of Covidshield vaccine until Indian domestic needs were met would not have a negative impact on Sri Lanka’s vaccination drive, State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals, Prof. Channa Jayasumana said yesterday.

Prof. Jayasumana said that the government had started the vaccination drive on 29 January 2021 and the second doses had to be given only after 12 weeks. 844, 000 Sri Lankans had been so far vaccinated, he said.

“We have about 400,000 doses left and we can continue the programme till 31 May. By this time, the issues in India would have been sorted out,” the State Minister said.

There will be no ban on exports, though supplies to other countries will be made only after meeting domestic needs, people familiar with developments said.

Meanwhile India’s Live Mint reported that India would focus on its domestic vaccination programme following a spike in Covid-19 cases and the planned expansion of the immunisation drive, and there would be no expansion of vaccine exports.

Supplies to other countries will be made only after meeting domestic needs and that future exports are linked to the ramping up of domestic production capacities.

Indian media reported that several factors are behind the government’s move to slow down vaccine exports, including a need to ramp up the domestic vaccination programme following an increase in the total active caseload after it had touched its lowest mark in mid-February, and the decision to open up the immunisation drive to everyone above the age of 45 from April 1.

The emergence of a double mutation in the Sars-CoV-2 virus in Maharashtra has added to the concerns related to the rise in Covid-19 cases in recent days. With 11.7 million cases, India has reported the highest number of Coronavirus infections after the US and Brazil.

Vaccine manufacturers too have indicated that the current focus is on meeting domestic needs.

Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla had tweeted on February 21: “Dear countries & 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.”

India has so far supplied more than 60 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, mostly Covishield, to 76 countries. This includes 8.5 million doses provided as grants and commercial supplies of 34 million doses. However, according to data maintained on the external affairs ministry’s website, the last shipments went out almost a week ago to Namibia and Bolivia on March 18.