Brazil sends plane to India to import 2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

New Delhi, Jan 14: Brazil has sent a plane to India to import 2 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine that is being manufactured by Serum Institute of India.

The plane will begin the return trip on Saturday, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said.

Last week, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had written to PM Narendra Modi to expedite the shipment of coronavirus vaccines.

The documentation for bringing in the vaccines, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, is ready, said Pazuello.

The vaccine can be distributed only after federal health regulator Anvisa grants permission for its emergency use, Pazuello added.

The Brazilian government is under pressure amid the slow pace of the country's vaccine rollout. Inoculations have yet to begin in Latin America's largest country and Anvisa not yet approved any vaccine for use.

Brazil's Anvisa scheduled a meeting for next Sunday to decide on the emergency use of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford as well as one by developed by China's Sinovac Biotec.