Brazil plane coming to take '2Mn' Covishield doses from India even as MEA says 'too early'

Days after Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to expedite a shipment of Oxford/AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine, India on Thursday said it is still assessing production schedules and availability of the vaccines. The Ministry of External Affairs has also said that the vaccine supply to other countries "may take some time."

Brazil sends aircraft to collect vaccines

Brazil has officially announced the dispatch of a special aircraft to transport two million doses of Covishield from India. According to an official joint press release from the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, Defence Ministry and the Health Ministry, an Airbus A330neo aircraft of Azul Airlines was set to fly back from Mumbai with two million doses of vaccine from Serum Institute of India and reach the country on January 16.

"The flight will cover about 15 thousand kilometres to India. The Airbus A330neo is the largest aircraft in the company's fleet and will be equipped with specific containers to ensure temperature control of the doses in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations," it said. 

"The AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine will be distributed to the Brazilian states within five days after the approval of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). Immunization all over the country will be carried out simultaneously and free of charge," it added.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Embassy in New Delhi, has made arrangements with the Indian authorities and the Serum Institute of India, following up on a letter from President Jair Bolsonaro to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dated January 8, and is providing assistance regarding international travel issues and procedures. The Ministry of Defense will contribute to the security of land transportation to the states," the release said.

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'This may take some time': MEA

However, in response to questions on supply of vaccines to neighbouring countries and media reports that Brazil is sending a plane for procuring vaccine doses, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Thursday in an online briefing said, "In so far as requests from countries for vaccines from India, you would recall that Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has already stated that India's vaccine production and delivery capacity would be used for the benefit of all humanity in fighting this crisis." 

"As you know, the vaccination process is just starting in India. It is too early to give a specific response on the supplies to other countries as we are still assessing production schedules and availability to take decisions in this regard. This may take some time," he said. 

India's drugs regulator has approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch India's COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16 via video conferencing.

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(With PTI inputs)