Francesco Guarascio & Pushkala Aripaka

(Reuters) – The Serum Institute of India has decided to waive its legal liability for AstraZeneca Oxford COVID-19 shots that it supplies to a global refugee program, a spokesperson from the GAVI alliance stated Wednesday.

These news come days after Reuters revealed that COVID-19 vaccines may not be available to tens of million of migrants through COVAX’s vaccine-sharing program COVAX. This is due to concerns about who will be liable in case of side-effects.

COVID-19 vaccine producers require that all countries insure them against any adverse effects resulting from vaccines. This is impossible if governments don’t have control, as in the case with refugees.

The waiver allows SII’s AstraZeneca Oxford version, Covishield to now go to COVAX Humanitarian Buffer. This buffer is a reserve shot that can be used by humanitarian organizations.

SII, world’s largest vaccine manufacturer and producer also has a version called Novavax (NASDAQ:). The COVID-19 shot was declined for comment.

AstraZeneca and Serum currently supply COVID-19 vaccines for COVAX. However, they are being displaced by Pfizer BioNTech and NYSE: at the beginning of 2022

GAVI is a public-private partnership that was established in 2000 for the promotion of vaccinations around the globe. COVAX is a joint operation of the World Health Organization and COVAX to provide COVID-19 shot to less developed countries.