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BRUSSELS: The initial distribution of 200 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech in the European Union will be completed in September, a spokesman for the EU Commission said on Monday (December 28).
The long timeline, which was previously unknown, confirms that the bloc, with a population of 450 million, will need vaccines from other suppliers to accelerate inoculations against the coronavirus.
Most EU countries began inoculating healthcare workers and vulnerable people on Sunday with the Pfizer vaccine, which is the only one so far licensed in the 27-nation bloc, and requires a two-dose regimen.
READ: ‘Window of hope’: Europe starts rolling out COVID-19 vaccines
“The distribution of the full 200 million doses is scheduled to be completed in September 2021,” the spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement.
He added that talks are underway to agree on the delivery of another 100 million doses that are optional under the contract sealed with the two companies, confirming an earlier Reuters report.
The timing for the additional doses is unclear.
The spokesperson said that most of the supply contracts agreed by the EU with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers envisage that most deliveries should be completed by the end of next year.
The EU has signed advance purchase agreements with Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sanofi and CureVac for a total of almost 2 billion doses.
The bloc’s drug regulator will decide on the possible approval of the Moderna vaccine on January 6, and has said it could receive approval requests from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson in the first quarter of next year.
The EU Commission spokesman added that according to some of the agreed contracts, the first deliveries could start in March.
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