The world is moving closer towards a mass rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for public usage, with leading candidates making significant gains over the past few days towards developing the "silver bullet". In a major relief, the vaccine developer that has drawn the most attention - Oxford-AstraZeneca - has received the green nod for trial resumption in all countries where the tests were underway barring the United States. Here are the major updates on vaccine development from around the world. Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Can be Given to Americans by 2020-End if Granted FDA Nod by October, Says CEO Albert Bourla.

- AstraZeneca trials, that were halted last week after one of the participants in the UK fell ill, has been resumed in India, England, Brazil and South Africa. The United States has been reluctant to allow the trials resumption, with the country's top health regulator - National Institute of Health (NIH) - said the issue could be "very serious" if not thoroughly probed. Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine: NIH 'Very Concerned' About Side-Effect on UK Trial Participant, Suspects Case of 'Transverse Myelitis'.

- India, where some of the top vaccine manufacturing and distribution companies are based, has been reached out to by American drugmaker Novavax and Russian sovereign wealth fund institute for the production and commercial sale of their vaccines in the nation.

Novavax announced on Tuesday that it is partnering with India's Serum Institute to produce 2 billion doses of its vaccine candidate. The Moscow-based Gamelia Institute will sell 100 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine to India's Dr Reddy Laboratories.

- The United Arab Emirates (UAE), earlier today, reported a positive outcome of phase 3 trials of China's Sinopharm vaccine. The clinical tests had begun in the nation in July.

- Indonesia, another country, which is relying on China's Sinovac vaccine candidate, has decided to focus on its indigenous vaccine which is in the early trials phase. Although the Sinovac vaccine would be supplied to the nation from January next year by China, President Joko Widodo said their own candidate - "Merah-Putih" - is necessary for vaccinating the entire population of 270 million.

- Iran, one of the countries severely battered by the pandemic, announced this week that it would soon be starting the human trials of its indigenously developed vaccine. New Zealand, meanwhile, has announced a $10 million funding to Malaghan Institute of Medical Research - which is leading the vaccine development programme in the nation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 16, 2020 08:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).