Johnson & Johnson will supply up to 220 million doses of its single-shot coronavirus vaccine to African Union's 55 member states from the third quarter of 2021, the drugmaker said.

J&J, through its unit Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, entered into a deal with the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), which could order an additional 180 million doses, for a combined total of up to 400 million doses through 2022, Reuters reported.

“We need to immunise at least 60 per cent of our population in order to get rid of the virus from our continent. The J&J agreement enables us to move towards achieving this target,” said John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.