Earlier allocations of COVID-19 vaccine doses are “not relevant anymore in the case of” North Korea, the global vaccine alliance Gavi has told NK News, with the DPRK now due to receive less than 2 million doses after earlier being promised more than 8 million.

The change reflects a decision by the vaccine initiative COVAX to move to “needs-based vaccine allocations” in 2022, a Gavi spokesperson said in an email on Friday, adding that Gavi and COVAX continue discussions with the DPRK to “operationalize the COVID-19 immunization program.”