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Ireland will receive approximately 160,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine after 29 million doses were found in an Italian warehouse. understands.
Of the 29 million doses discovered, 16 million will be divided proportionally among the EU member states, with Ireland getting 1%, or 160,000.
About 13 million of the doses are destined for the international Covax scheme, which was established to ensure that the 92 low- and middle-income countries that cannot fully pay for Covid-19 vaccines have equal access.
AstraZeneca has said that it was “incorrect” to describe the finding as a reservation, stating that the doses were waiting for “quality control” to complete.
The decision is understood to have been made when Taoiseach Micheál Martin held a lengthy meeting Thursday with EU leaders to improve vaccine supply after months of hurdles in European deployment.
EU leaders held virtual conversations to discuss supply issues and improve distribution in its 27 member states.
“What was clear was the consensus of the urgent need to increase vaccine production and supply in the second quarter and the importance of export authorization mechanisms, particularly in the context of AstraZeneca and companies that do not comply with their contracts. , there is a mechanism to participate, “Martin said.
“The EU has been the most important producer of vaccines on the world market and the export authorization mechanism makes it more transparent.
“In the context of companies that do not fulfill their contract with the EU, the leverage is there and it has to be there to ensure that the contracts are honored and that the EU can have certain safety nets regarding having the necessary vaccine. for its own population. “
The EU Council said in a statement tonight: “Accelerating the production, delivery and deployment of vaccines remains essential and urgent to overcome the crisis. Efforts to this end must be further intensified. We underline the importance of transparency, as well as the use of export authorizations ”.
The European Commission said it is working with AstraZeneca and the British government to find a satisfactory way forward after months of supply problems.
The leaders also discussed the need for solidarity with a small group of member states that relied disproportionately on AstraZeneca for their vaccine portfolio.
The group of leaders also met virtually with US President Joe Biden to discuss ongoing EU-US cooperation on vaccines.
Weekly meetings are now likely to be set up between Thierry Breton, the commissioner for the domestic market, and a US envoy to cooperate in the production and supply of vaccines.
“President Biden made a forceful presentation on the renewal and reestablishment of the transatlantic partnership and said that the United States is fully committed to its commitment, and that the European Commission and the United States will work closely together to remove any bottlenecks in production. and delivery of vaccines “said Mr. Martin.
“Overall, a positive intervention from the president and certainly indicates a new era in US-European relations.”
The meeting continues today.
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