A further ten million Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines have been sent by the UK to COVAX, with 10 million more due to be delivered in the coming weeks to some of the world’s most vulnerable people. These additional donations mean 30.6 million surplus doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca will have been given to those in need in 2021.
Oxford-AstraZeneca is the world’s most widely used vaccine, accounting for more than half of all COVAX deliveries. Thanks to AstraZeneca’s commitment to the UK Government to distribute the vaccine on a non-profit basis, 1.5 billion doses have been used in more than 170 countries.
In 2022, the UK will donate at least 20 million more Oxford-AZ doses. This will mean we have given half of the UK’s total order of the vaccine to countries in need.
The UK will also donate all the 20 million Janssen doses ordered by the Government to COVAX. Domestic need for the current booster programme will be met through mRNA vaccines and Oxford-Astra Zeneca, meaning the UK can donate its full Janssen order to developing countries. Janssen aim to prioritise deliveries to countries based on need so COVAX will receive the much-needed vaccines as soon as they come off the production line in 2022.
Today’s announcement means that the UK has now set out how 70% of the 100 million vaccines we have pledged to share with those in need have been or will be delivered. Providing this detail of planned donations as early as possible will help COVAX allocate and plan delivery of doses more effectively, ensuring vaccines get to those that need them most.
