Israel to reroute 10 million AstraZeneca Covid vaccines to countries in need

Israel is trying to reroute the AstraZeneca vaccines headed its way after the country claimed that it no longer requires the doses. The country’s pandemic coordinator on Wednesday said that the country is exploring whether it can send an upcoming big shipment to countries that require it immediately.

"We are trying to find the best solution. After all, we don't want (the vaccines) to get here and have to throw them into the trash," Nachman Ash, the pandemic coordinator told Army Radio.

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Ash added that the country’s needs have been met by other suppliers so far.

AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccines have been in the limelight for causing rare blood clots among some in Europe. But the Israeli official made no reference to the same.

Last year, Israel secured a large number of vaccine doses from a number of companies. Most of its vaccine rollout included the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The country has been lauded as a vaccine success story, where the mask mandate has now been lifted.

Owing to the quick inoculation of its citizens, the country has reopened the economy with infections dropping dramatically. Ash claimed that supplies for vaccines have been secured through 2022 and that Israel no longer requires the 10 million doses ordered from AstraZeneca.

"They can certainly be used in other places in the world. At the moment, we are trying to find, along with the company, the best way to do this," he said.

Over 81 per cent of Israelis aged 16 and above have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

(With inputs from agencies)