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The British government emphasized that there is no need to worry about vaccine shortages, as the European Union (EU), which has been struggling to supply vaccines for new coronavirus infections (Corona 19), has taken a step back the 31 (local time).
British Minister for International Trade, Leeds Truss, said in a series of interviews with British outlets such as Sky News and the BBC on the same day that he had received written confirmation from the EU that there would be no interruption in the progress of the Corona 19 vaccine. . supply contract.
As EU Commissioner Ursula Ponderrayen promised in a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, there will be no problem getting the vaccines produced by Pfizer and Bioentech to the UK, Truss said.
Truss called previous EU decisions “mistakes” and highlighted: “To fundamentally get out of this crisis, it is important to open borders and cooperate against nationalism and vaccine protectionism.”
The EU cautioned against shipping UK-produced vaccines to the EU when AstraZeneca, a London-based multinational pharmaceutical company, reported a reduction in the quantity of vaccines originally planned to supply to Europe.
Finally, the EU pretended that it could block the export of vaccines produced in Europe to the United Kingdom, but it was criticized by the international community such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and withdrew it late on the night of the 29th.
Secretary Truss said there were no problems with the UK government’s plans to secure the vaccine. “We will have enough vaccines to help other countries even after vaccinating the entire UK population.”
At the same time, it is still too early to reveal specific plans, but he said he is considering supplying the Corona 19 vaccine not only to neighboring countries such as the EU, but also to developing countries.
“The situation where the vaccine is available only in the UK and there is no vaccine in many other countries does not help the UK,” added Truss.
The first friction between the two sides since the UK left the EU appears to be over, but the offensive against AstraZeneca is expected to continue for some time.
France and Germany, the most vocal in the EU, warned that legal action would be inevitable if the supply of AstraZeneca vaccines were disrupted, The Guardian said.
French Foreign Minister Clement Bonn called on AstraZeneca to honor the contract, saying that “fines or penalties” would be unavoidable if it turned out to have given UK priority.
German Economy and Energy Minister Peter Altmeier also told the German daily Develt, pointing to AstraZeneca, “Companies that do not meet their obligations have to pay the legal price.”
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended the use of the Corona 19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford on the 29th, and the EU Commission approved it based on this.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine is the third approved product in Europe after Pfizer-Bioentech and Modena, but there is no question about its efficacy.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the AstraZeneca vaccine was less effective than age 65, and the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) did not recommend vaccines for people 55 and older.
Previously, the German business magazine Handelsblatt reported that the AstraZeneca vaccine prevented only 8% of those over 65, but AstraZeneca contested that it was a complete mistake.
(Yunhap news)
