Auštrevičius MEP: plans to vaccinate 70% population by the end of the summer – a pink dream

Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus hasda has spoken even more ambitiously before: a couple of weeks ago he expected that Lithuania could probably vaccinate at least 70% by the summer. adult population of the country. He said this based on manufacturers’ promises to deliver a certain number of vaccine doses and a promise to approve even more vaccines in the near future.

However, at a remote press conference of several members of the European Parliament (EP) on Friday, P. Auštrevičius called such hopes unfounded. With the successive announcements by pharmaceutical companies that they will not be able to fulfill their obligations and deliver the agreed quantities of vaccines on time due to stagnation in production, neither the European Commission (EC) nor the EU as a whole are prepared to face this. challenge. .

“It is too late, it seems to me, it is not yet fully understood within the EC and the EU how to do it. This is in no way in line with the promise that by the end of the summer, 70 percent of the population will be vaccinated. See Today’s problems sound like a pink dream, ”said the politician.

The members of the Renew Europe group of EP Liberals, after collecting as much information as possible from open sources, calculated the possible supply volumes themselves.

According to optimistic estimates (plus the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which has not yet been approved by the European Medicines Agency), Europe should receive 108 million in the first quarter, 271 million in the second quarter and 270 million in the third quarter. dose. This means that at the end of the third quarter of this year, only 67 percent can get vaccinated. of the total population (true, this would represent 84% of adults).

Europeans are unable to produce large quantities

P.Auštrevičius positively assessed the EC’s decision to negotiate with the vaccine manufacturers on behalf of the 27 members and sign contracts. But that only means that a certain number of vaccines have been agreed with 6 manufacturers.

Now it is up to each country individually, in coordination with each company whose vaccines have already been approved, to exchange their quota according to an established schedule. The politician made only one complaint about it: that the EC did not disclose the contracts and only after additional questions did they begin to be made public, but many details were still withheld.

However, the start of vaccine distribution has generated production problems, which have shown that the companies’ production capacity is too small to meet their commitments. The process was initially coordinated by Food Safety and Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, who is responsible for health in a broad sense, but is said to have very little production skills.

Just last week, production matters were handed over to Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton, who has experience as an industrialist and manager. P.Auštrevičius called late on this decision and failed to deliver on promises to vaccinate 70% by the end of the summer. EU citizens: “Looking at how things are handled internally, there are still no solutions. That should be clear, not to create expectations and tensions within. “

According to the politician, the problem could be solved with the appearance of enough producers. There are 12 manufacturers in Europe that could produce additional vaccines, but this requires agreements on patents and the like. An initiative has already been taken to relinquish patents in the exceptional circumstances provided by the World Trade Organization.

“The main problem, as Thretton himself said, is that the main manufacturers of the currently approved European companies have no experience in mass production of vaccines. We are talking about hundreds of millions and more doses of vaccines. No one else has this experience, it has not been evaluated. It is like a military operation, the planning has to be appropriate. “

Another way is to allow the vaccines to be produced outside the EU, even if the manufacturers object to it. Two major pharmaceutical countries, South Africa and India, have already submitted vaccine proposals. India, in particular, which has a huge production capacity, is said to be able to quickly replenish vaccine stocks, as it is needed not only in Europe but also around the world, with more than 120 countries not yet vaccinating their populations.

In the words of P. Auštrevičius, without such obstacles, the unproductive disputes between the EC and the producers took time, although now it is necessary to discuss in search of solutions. He also criticized the Commission’s communication: “I would say it is below criticism. Information is provided, questions are asked. That cannot go on.

You will not find it after this date; It is mandatory to provide Europeans with information on delivery times. Distrust, studs, restless moods between people and politicians are constantly generating new initiatives, even without knowing if they are necessary. (…) The appearance of such activities, parallel information flows, indicates that the EC does not control the situation. Perhaps Th.Breton will be successful as a manager with experience in price coordination. That is the only way out, not a dispute, it is a consensus. “