Spahn said it was encouraging that the number of new coronavirus cases was falling in Germany and that if that trend continues, a decision can be taken on future restrictions.
Poonawalla said SII had no intention of partnering with companies such as Pfizer Inc whose COVID-19 vaccine needs to be stored at about minus 70 Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit) as India currently lacks such facilities.
The European Union issued an angry warning to AstraZeneca Monday over its unexpected delay in delivering millions of doses of its Covid-19 vaccine to the bloc.
Earlier in January, Pfizer, which is currently the largest supplier of COVID-19 vaccines to the EU, announced delays of nearly a month to its shipments, but hours later revised this to say the delays would last only a week.
But it had to be satisfied with the release last week of six million doses of CoronaVac, which was developed by the Chinese lab Sinovac with the Brazilian Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo.
Over the first three months of the year, more than 21 million total doses are expected from US drugmaker Pfizer Inc , China's CanSino Biologics Inc, Britain's AstraZeneca, and Sputnik V.
EMA, the EU drugs regulator, said last week it would review the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Britain's Oxford University this month under an accelerated timeline.
We expect that work be done day and night, that a decision be reached unbureaucratically and that Europe not fall behind.