AstraZeneca says that as of today, it has released one billion doses of the vaccine to more than 170 countries. The pharmaceutical company has promised not to profit from the vaccine during the pandemic.
Prof Andrew Pollard, who leads the group at Oxford University that developed the vaccine with AstraZeneca, called it an “absolutely astonishing moment”.
“It’s an incredible good news story for a small group of academics here in Oxford who have been working on the vaccine since last year, this is an amazing moment.
“We’re also completely full of admiration for AstraZeneca for setting up these 20 manufacturing sites around the world not for profit to get the doses out there.”