US to lift Defense Production Act ratings on AstraZeneca, Novavax, Sanofi COVID vaccines

White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeff Zients said on Thursday that the US will lift Defense Production Act ratings on the AstraZeneca, Novavax, and Sanofi COVID vaccines.

US government is removing Defence Production Act priority ratings for three not-yet-authorised vaccines from AstraZeneca, Novavax and Sanofi because the US is confident in its vaccine supply.

"While the manufacturers will continue to make these three vaccines, this action will allow US-based companies that supply these vaccine manufacturers to make their own decisions on which orders to fulfil first," he said.

DPA ratings give these manufacturers priority access to vaccine making supplies, at the expense of non-US producers.

The White House COVID-19 response coordinator also said during a White House briefing the US would continue to donate additional doses across the summer months as supply becomes available.

Zients is in charge of leading the global vaccine sharing effort and is coordinating with the National Security Council and State Department.

Meanwhile, amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic, the US is set to allocate the first tranche of 25 million COVID-19 vaccines globally to address potential surges and the needs of the most vulnerable countries affected by the pandemic, including India.

Sharing the framework for the distribution of 80 million vaccines, the White House press statement said that 75 per cent of vaccine share will be given through COVAX while 25 per cent share for immediate needs and to help with surges around the world.

( With inputs from ANI )