AstraZeneca says working with governments to boost COVAX donations

FILE PHOTO: Pascal Soriot, chief executive officer of pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, during an interview with Reuters in Shanghai, China November 4, 2019. REUTERS/Brenda Goh/File Photo

GENEVA (Reuters) - AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot on Wednesday said the firm was working with the COVAX vaccine-sharing mechanism and governments to boost COVID-19 vaccine supplies to the scheme, including through donations of doses.

"Restrictions in international trading create ripple effects in the supply chain. It is also clear that vaccine donations are essential," Soriot said, welcoming a pledge by Japan to increase its support for the COVAX programme.

"We are working with COVAX and other governments to unlock further supplies."

(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva and Alistair Smout in London; editing by Jason Neely)

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