The World Health Organization and its Covax partners cautioned today against dismissing AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine after several setbacks, insisting it remains an important, life-saving tool.
The AstraZeneca vaccine is currently a vital part of Covax, which was set up to procure Covid-19 vaccines and ensure their equitable distribution around the world.
It accounts for almost all of the 337.2 million vaccine doses Covax is preparing to begin shipping to some 145 countries during the first half of the year, once it receives WHO authorisation, which is expected next week.
But the vaccine has run into several setbacks. "It is vastly too early to be dismissing this vaccine," said Richard Hatchett, who heads the Coalition for Epidemic