PUNE: Serum Institute of India (SII) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aadar Poonawalla said on Thursday that SII has stopped production of the Covishield Vaccine from December 2021 and the total stock available at that time. Out of which about 10 crore doses have expired.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Annual General Meeting of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) in Pune, Poonawalla said there is no demand for a precautionary dose as people are fed up with the pandemic and have become apathetic about vaccination.
When asked about the updated information on the Covishield vaccine, Poonawalla said, “We have stopped production (of Covishield) from December 2021. We had a stockpile of crores of vaccines at that time, of which 100 million doses have expired.” He said that it is permissible to introduce mixed doses of SII vaccines.
Poonawalla said, “Now Covovax can be approved in the next two weeks. So I think they will probably allow mixed doses of preventive vaccines and they should. If the WHO (World Health Organisation) approves it, probably the Indian regulator will also give permission and they should do so.
“However, at present, there is no demand for a precautionary dose. There is generally indifference to precautionary doses. People are fed up with Kovid-19 and vaccines. To be honest, I am fed up with it too. We are all fed up.”
