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Astra Zeneca
Astra Zeneca claims that they have been produced with lower than expected yields in some plants, including those in Belgium and the Netherlands, which are part of the European production chain. The biggest challenges have been in the production of substances.
– This is a biological process. We grow materials and then we hope to get a certain amount of doses per liter. Initially, we have received much less doses, says Jacob Lund, Astra Zeneca’s communications director for the Nordic region.
He believes that it takes time to optimize production, which is a complex process with many steps.
– We get more returns as time goes by.
Astra Zeneca has signed an agreement with the EU to administer a total of 300 million doses in the first half of the year, 120 million in the first quarter and 180 in the second quarter. The company now claims that it is trying its best to deliver 40 million doses in the first quarter, while working on second quarter deliveries.
– It is clear that we are after the first quarter. We do our best to reach the levels that we will deliver in the second quarter, says Jacob Lund.
Swedish national Vaccine coordinator Richard Bergström says Belgian authorities have visited the factory in Belgium and can verify that the information from Astra Zeneca is correct.
– This is what happens and you can’t be so upset. However, we have not yet received an answer as to why we are not getting more doses from the US and UK factories. It has caused irritation, he says.
The EU now estimates that Astra Zeneca will deliver 150 million doses in the second quarter.
– But they already have a debt for the first quarter, says Richard Bergström.
A Pfizer factory employee packs the vaccines for delivery.
Photo: Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP
Pfizer / Biontech
According to Pfizer / Biontech, the problems arose from the fact that the company saw an opportunity to increase production capacity and thus ruined the production process at the Puurs production plant in Belgium, something that also required regulatory approval. .
“We therefore needed to temporarily reduce production for a couple of weeks in late January / early February, which meant that for a limited time we delivered 10% fewer doses to Sweden,” writes Ulrika Goossens, Communications Manager from Pfizer.
The changes are now complete and Pfizer claims that deliveries have fully started. The company expects to comply with the agreement in the first quarter and to be able to increase deliveries in the second quarter.
Pfizer / Biontech has an agreement with the EU to administer a total of 500 million doses, with the option of an additional 100 million doses. Under the agreement, Pfizer / Biontech will deliver 65 million doses to the EU in the first quarter and 185 million in the second quarter. 240 million doses are expected in the second half of the year, says vaccine coordinator Richard Bergström.
He says it is true that Pfizer had a small reduction in capacity because they have to test the plant in Puurs.
– If we had known from the beginning, we could have planned differently, he says.
In industry, people are used to always having a buffer, a warehouse, so that it is possible to reduce production for a time without consequences. He thinks that’s why the cuts have been a surprise.
– But now Pfizer is exemplary in terms of deliveries and talks about exactly what is coming every week. We expect them to comply with the agreement in the first quarter.
Modern vaccine.
Photo: Sue Ogrocki / AP
Modern
In late January, several EU countries declared Moderna would not meet its delivery targets. According to the company, this was due to the fact that substance supplier Lonza in Switzerland did not deliver enough, writes Reuters.
Just two weeks later, the Swedish Public Health Agency announced that 31,200 doses of Moderna’s corona vaccine would have been delivered to Sweden during the week, but that they would not arrive until the last week of February and then only half the doses. The delay was due to Lonza expanding its production capacity at its factory.
According to the agreement, Moderna deliver 10 million doses to the EU in the first quarter and 35 million in the 2. In the second half of the year, the Union will receive 265 million doses, according to Richard Bergström.
– Modern delays have taken root in the same as Pfizers, who have to cut production to test the plant. Like I said, this is completely normal, but it could have been communicated better so we would have had better foresight, he says.
He now expects Moderna to honor the deal in the first quarter.
– Possibly it will arrive at the end of March.
Read more:
Those vaccinated had allergic reactions: now a specific round of the Astra Zeneca vaccine is stopped
Swedish Public Health Agency: Effect of the vaccine behind the reduction in mortality rates
