Serum's Poonawalla writes to Canada's Trudeau with Covishield timeline post PM's assurance

The Chief Executive Officer and Owner of Serum Insitute of India, Adar Poonawalla, on February 15 extended gratitude towards Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the “warm words towards India” as well as its vaccine industry. Poonawalla noted that as soon as Canada gives a nod to the emergency use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine manufactured in India as ‘Covishield’, he will “assure” the delivery of the jabs in “less than a month”. The SII CEO said that he is “on it”.

India is likely to supply COVID-19 vaccines to Canada very soon and per a news report by ANI, sources have informed that decks have been cleared for the supply of vaccines following the personal request by Trudeau. However, reportedly, the final decisions on the quantum of supplies has not been taken.

Poonawalla’s assurance on Twitter came just a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau and assured that India will do the best of its capacity to supply the COVD-19 vaccines sought by Canada amid the pandemic. India has also become the global leader in supply the much-required coronavirus vaccines to more than 20 nations on a commercial and humanitarian basis. While the UK had previously lauded India as ‘vaccine manufacturing hub’, Canadian PM also expressed that he is seeking the supply of vaccines from the Pune-based institute. 

On February 11, Michelle Rempel Garner, a Conservative MP and Shadow Minister for Health, in a meeting of the standing committee on health, asked if the Trudeau government had reached out to Prime Minister Modi for vaccines. At that time, Trudeau's minister Anita Anand could not respond to the question. 

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Trudeau proceeded to call Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the Indian government assuring Canada of its vaccine help despite ties between the two countries being somewhat frayed even before Trudeau attempted to wade into the farmers' protest on a fairly shaky premise, and with elements of the pro-Khalistani plot against India being based in Canada.

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Canada Inks Deal To Produce Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Domestically

Earlier, Canada had said that it has signed a tentative agreement with the United States vaccine firm Novovax to produce millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines at a facility in Montreal. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on February 3 announced the agreement which is also the first of several being developed the nation expressed its intention to repatriate vaccine production for several decades to come. In a news conference in Ottawa, Trudeau also said that Canada is “clear” that it will be “developing domestic manufacturing” to safeguard the nation on top of other partnerships and agreements.

"What we're very clear on is Canada will be developing domestic manufacturing, so regardless of what could happen in the future, we will have domestic production on top of all our partnerships and contracts signed with companies around the world," said Trudeau before stressing that it is essential for Canada to be “self-sufficient” in the production of vaccines. 

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