Boris Johnson has sought to reassure the British public about the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the security of supplies following a delay in delivering five million doses from India. Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, the prime minister said he would receive the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Friday. Health secretary Matt Hancock told the House of Commons that the delay was due to the postponement of a delivery of AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII). Second doses will go ahead as planned,” he said. Britain was due to receive five million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the SII, the second part of an order of 10 million from the institute.

Source: The Irish Times March 18, 2021 20:26 UTC