US Unveils Donation Plans For 25 million Covid-19 Vaccine Doses, Removes Raw Material Restrictions For AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sanofi Vaccines

The United States today announced its framework for sharing at least 80 million unused vaccine doses globally by the end of June and the plan for the first 25 million doses.

75% of COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed through the U.N.-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing program.

Of the first tranche of 25 million doses, the White House announced about 19 million will go to COVAX, with approximately 6 million for South and Central America.

7 million doses have been earmarked for Asia including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, and the Pacific Islands.

Approximately 5 million for Africa will be shared with countries that will be selected in coordination with the African Union, the US said

The first trance of donated doses will come from a stockpiled mix of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson’s shots

U.S President Joe Biden has announced in late April that the US would send 60 million doses of AstraZeneca‘s vaccine abroad by July 4 . The administration said on Thursday it is not still ready to announce where the 60 million AstraZeneca doses will go, because the FDA safety review is still pending. The FDA is still determining whether the AstraZeneca doses made by contract manufacturer Emergent are contaminated

White House also announced that the government is also removing Defence Production Act priority ratings for vaccines from AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sanofi given that US is confident of its domestic vaccine supply situation.