Deliveries for the second COVID 19 vaccine dose have been delayed, and the CDC says it “cannot predict when the second doses will come”. 14 million out of 1.3 billion people have received the vaccine, so there still is a long way to go. The vaccine was being delivered from the WHO approved COVAX facility, which sourced their doses from the Serum institute of India, but India has now suspended the export of the vaccine due to the rise in cases in their own country. This leaves Africa with very few places left to turn for the much needed doses. COVAX is attempting to ensure that those countries who have received the vaccine’s first dose will receive the second dose as well, as African officials hope that India will lift restrictions soon.
This holds a lot of hope in the air for the eradication of COVID 19 as vaccination rates rise, but highlights the problem many countries are having with gaining access to and transporting the vaccine.