COVAX vaccines reach more than 100 countries, despite supply hits

The COVAX vaccine facility has delivered nearly 38.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to more than 100 countries and economies across six continents as of Thursday, six weeks after it began to roll out supplies, a statement said.

Despite being hit by reduced supply availability in March and April, and higher demand in India where much of its main jab AstraZeneca is made, it expects to deliver doses to all economies that have requested them in the first half of 2021, the GAVI vaccine alliance and World Health Organization said.

"According to its latest supply forecast, COVAX expects to deliver at least 2 billion doses of vaccines in 2021," it said. Its portfolio, currently relying on AstraZeneca and the Pfizer and BioNTech shots, would be diversified.