As many as 60 countries, including some of the world’s poorest, might have to stall their Coronavirus vaccination drive because nearly all deliveries through the global programme intended to help them are blocked until as late as June.

COVAX, the global initiative to provide vaccines to countries lacking the clout to negotiate for scarce supplies on their own, has in the past week shipped more than 25,000 doses to low-income countries, only twice on any given day. Deliveries have all but halted since Monday.