India Biggest Buyer Of Covid Vaccine With 1.6 Bn Doses

This could cover 800 million people or 60% population, say experts

NEW DELHI: India is the largest buyer of COVID-19 vaccines in the world with 1.6 billion doses, according to a global analysis, a number some scientists say could cover 800 million people, or 60 per cent of its population, and will be enough to develop herd immunity'.

India has purchased 500 million doses of the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine candidate, one billion from the US company Novavax and 100 million doses of the Sputnik V candidate from Russia's Gamaleya Research Institute, according to the US-based Duke University Global Health Innovation Center.

The Launch and Scale Speedometer' analysis, which is updated every two weeks, shows India has confirmed 1.6 billion doses of three vaccines as of November 30 while the US and the EU have purchased doses of six candidates.

According to the analysis, India is the top COVID19 vaccine buyer followed by the European Union which has confirmed 1.58 billion doses, and the US, the worst affected country so far, which has managed to purchase just over a billion doses.

As countries strategize to secure more shots to protect their populations against the novel coronavirus infection, Duke University has released a new global assessment of purchasing agreements for COVID-19 vaccines, even before any candidates are in the market.