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A statement from the British pharmaceutical company was released on Friday. Earlier, US company Pfizer announced that the pace of vaccine supply would slow down in the coming weeks due to work to be done at its parent company in Belgium.
The alerts from both companies have come out of growing concern about new strains of COVID-19, in particular a strain that has emerged in the UK and is believed to be more contagious.
In total, more than 692 thousand cases have already been registered in Europe. deaths from COVID-19 and nearly 32 million cases of coronavirus infection.
To date, two vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer in collaboration with BioNTech have been licensed in the European Union (EU).
The EU has not yet approved the AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, but a decision on its distribution in the Community is expected on 29 January.
The AstraZeneca report says that if the vaccine is approved by the EU, its “initial quantities will be lower than expected”, although the start of distribution itself will not be delayed.
The company explained this by “reduced productivity at the production site within our European supply chain”, but did not provide further details.
In any case, AstraZeneca has said it will deliver “millions of doses” to the EU and increase production in February and March.
The report caused “deep dissatisfaction” among EU member states, which “are demanding that the delivery schedule be respected,” said Stela Kiriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.
“Very, very bad news”
Austrian Health Minister Rudolf Anschober called it “very, very bad news” and said his country would receive just over half of the 650,000 in February. AstraZeneca vaccine dose as expected.
Lithuania said it would receive only a fifth of the promised doses of AstraZeneca in the first quarter of this year.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin said of the delay in delivery of vaccines: “It will ruin our plans.”
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte wrote on Facebook that his government was considering taking legal action against AstraZeneca’s “unacceptable” report.
“If it is confirmed that the first quarter … the doses will be reduced by 60%, that will mean 3.4 million. doses instead of 8 million. dose, ”he wrote.
Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said on state television that the government had a contract with AstraZeneca for 1.5 million. vaccine doses in the first quarter of this year.
AstraZeneca now says it will be half, instead of 1.5 million. “650 thousand”, said the minister. While calling it “very bad news,” he acknowledged that production problems could arise because the process was complicated.
But some government officials have tried to reassure their countries, exhausted by months of pandemics and already angered by the slow pace of vaccines.
“New vaccines on the way. We have Pfizer, which is increasing production capacity, “Agnes Pannier-Runacher, the country’s industry minister, told French radio.
Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on Saturday that France has already vaccinated one million people.
The EU initially asked for up to 400 million euros. AstraZeneca doses of the vaccine, and has signed contracts for more than $ 2 billion. vaccine doses of its 450 million. population.
The advantage of the AstraZeneca vaccine is that it is cheaper to produce and easier to store and transport than competitive vaccines.
The “sad fact”
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine would be delivered in February after expected approval, but how much “remains to be clarified with AstraZeneca and the European Union.”
Swedish vaccination coordinator Richard Bergstrom said his country would likely receive around 700,000 people in the first month after the vaccine was approved. their doses, although initially it was expected to reach one million. dose.
Norway, which is not a member of the EU but complies with the decisions of the European Medicines Agency (EEA), has expressed disappointment.
Norwegian officials now expect to receive just 200,000 in February. AstraZeneca vaccine doses are much lower than expected: 1.12 million. dose.
Pfizer’s report on the delay also continues to be criticized.
On January 15, Pfizer announced changes to its vaccine plant in Piurs to increase vaccine production beginning in mid-February.
“We believe that Pfizer is currently on the offensive,” Domenico Arcuri, Italy’s special commissioner for the pandemic, told La Stampa on Saturday. He confirmed that Rome plans to take legal action against the company.
20% reduction in the supply of Pfizer vaccines is not a rough estimate, but a sad fact, “he said, adding that Italian health was” indisputable. “
French European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune asked Pfizer on Friday to “honor its commitments.”
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