NEW DELHI: Serum Institue of India (SII) issued a statement on August 23, stating that all claims in connection with the availability of its COVID-19 vaccine in 73 days are false.

"Presently, the government has granted us permission to only manufacture the vaccine and stockpile it for future use," SII said in a statement they posted on Facebook, adding that COVISHIELD will be commercialised only after trials are proven successful and after all the requisite regulatory approvals are in place.

The company also took to Twitter to set the record straight:

"We would like to clarify that the current media claim on COVISHIELD's availability in 73 days is misleading. Phase-3 trials are still underway. We will officially confirm it’s availability."

SII also touched on the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. "The phase-3 trials for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine are still underway. And only once the vaccine is proven immunogenic and efficacious, SII will confirm its availability, officially," the company said.