Along with the sigh of relief: harsh criticism of the EU and the various governments • Fear: The amounts of vaccines distributed to 27 countries are too small • Surprising findings: in France and the Czech Republic - the majority do not want to be vaccinated
The mass vaccination campaign against the Corona virus across the EU, which officially began yesterday, is accompanied by harsh criticism of the EU and the various governments.
The amount of vaccines distributed to the 27 EU countries is too small, especially in light of the epidemic spread in Europe, which is one of the highest in the world.
Upcoming shipments of vaccines will not meet the widespread demand, and late-ordered shipments are expected to arrive in just a few months.
The lack of common criteria for EU countries to distribute vaccines is also at the heart of criticism: each country has set its own priorities.
In Germany, France and Spain it was decided to vaccinate the oldest populations and the occupants of nursing homes.
In Italy and Poland, doctors and medical staff will be vaccinated first.
In the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Greece, politicians - including prime ministers and ministers - have been at the top of the list of vaccinated, to convince the very skeptical population of the need to get vaccinated.
In many European countries there is strong opposition to receiving vaccines.
In France, the proportion of those who oppose the vaccine is estimated at 60% of the population, and in the Czech Republic at about 50%.
Also in Poland, Sweden, Germany and Spain the resistance to receiving the vaccine among the population is very high.
While in Hungary, Germany and Slovakia the distribution of vaccines began as early as Saturday, in the Netherlands it will be delayed until January 8 due to technical problems in the computer system responsible for the distribution of vaccines.
In Germany, the most severe criticism was expressed for technical delays in various areas in the arrival of vaccines.
The German weekly "Der Spiegel" published a serious investigation into the failures of the EU to prepare for vaccinations in Corona.
Informed sources told the weekly that the union began ordering vaccines at a very late stage - only in mid-November, and gambled on incorrect manufacturing companies due to opposition in the union to order vaccines from the US and Germany.
Union leaders give the day of the start of vaccinations a very festive status.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Laine, declared that this was an "exciting moment of unity and the satisfaction of European success".
French President Emmanuel Macron said: "We have new weapons against the virus."
