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"Huge damage": Europe's faltering corona vaccine campaign has taken another hit
Astrazenica's announcement of a smaller-than-expected supply of vaccines has sparked outrage among continental countries, which are struggling to boost vaccine rates.
"This is very bad news," they said in Austria, and the European Commission demanded explanations.
Italy is also angry over Pfizer's delays: "Serious breaches of contract"
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The European Union
Vaccine for corona
Astraznica
News agencies
Saturday, 23 January 2021, 21:35
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In the video: Britain opens mass vaccination sites (Photo: Reuters, Edited by Amit Simcha)
Several European countries are preparing for a sharp drop in the supply of corona vaccines, following the announcement by the British company Astraznica about a smaller-than-expected amount of vaccines.
The company's warning joins that of Pfizer last week, which postponed its shipments following work at one of its main plants in Belgium.
Supply disruptions join growing concerns about the virus' mutations, especially those discovered in the UK and found to be more contagious than the original strain.
In all, more than 692,000 people have died in Europe since the outbreak, and about 32 million have been diagnosed with the virus.
The European Union has so far approved the use of the vaccines of Pfizer and its German partner Biontech, and of the American company Modern.
On January 29, a decision is due to be made regarding Astrazenica, which has developed a vaccine for the virus together with the University of Oxford.
More than 692,000 people have died from the virus on the continent.
Corona vaccines in a nursing home in Copenhagen (Photo: Reuters)
The company announced that if the approval is received, "the initial quantities will be lower than expected," although the start of delivery will not be delayed.
She blamed it on "smaller output at a manufacturing site within our European supply chain".
It was also said that in any case, it would supply the EU with "millions of rations" while increasing production next month and in March.
Union Health Commissioner Stella Kyriacadis said the announcement had led to "great frustration" among union members, "who insist on a precise delivery schedule".
Austrian Health Minister Rudolf Anschover called it "very, very bad news" and said his country would receive just over half of the 650,000 doses of Astraznica they expected next month.
Lithuania said they expect 80% fewer shares of the company in the first quarter of the year.
In some other countries, however, they have tried to reassure the worn-out and battered public from long months of the plague, and the slow pace of vaccinations.
"We have new vaccines on the way. We have Pfizer, which is increasing its production capabilities," said French Industry Minister Agnes Pena-Ronasha. "We wanted to reach one million vaccinated by the end of January. ".
German Health Minister Jens Schpan said supplies would begin next month, but added: "We need to clarify with Astraznica and the EU the quantity in the coming days."
Disruptions in vaccination programs.
Corona virus vaccinated at hospital in Grosseto, Italy (Photo: Reuters)
The European Union has ordered 400 million doses of Astraznica, and in total it has signed contracts to purchase more than two billion vaccine doses for some 450 million people on the continent.
The advantage of this vaccine is its cheap price compared to competitors, and it is easier to store and transport.
Sweden expects to receive after the EU approval only 700,000 rations and not a million as initially expected, and Norway, which is not a member of the EU but follows the bloc's regulatory decisions, has expressed "disappointment" with the delays.
It is preparing to receive only 200,000 doses of Astraznica - much less than the 1.12 million doses it initially expected.
The Hungarian government, which has long criticized the time it takes for the vaccine to be approved, has agreed with Russia to purchase large quantities of its "Sputnik 5" vaccine, although it has not received EU approval.
Italy is furious
Meanwhile, criticism of Pfizer is also growing in Europe, following the announcement of supply delays due to the changes it is making to its Belgian plant, which it claims are necessary in favor of increasing production.
"We believe Pfizer is to blame," said Domenico Arcouri, who is in charge of fighting the epidemic in Italy.
He confirmed in an interview with La Stampa that Rome is planning legal action against the company.
"The 20% reduction in Pfizer's vaccine supply is not an estimate, but a sad certainty," he said.
He added that the health of Italian citizens was not "open to negotiation".
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the delays in delivering the vaccines of the two companies were "unacceptable", accusing them of serious breaches of the contracts signed with them.
"Our vaccination plan was formulated on the basis of contractual commitments made freely by the pharmaceutical companies to the European Commission," Conte wrote on Facebook.
He added that it "causes enormous damage to Italy and other countries".
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