German Health Minister Jens Spahn warned on Friday that the first doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine would be delivered "
at the earliest
" from mid-April although he obtained the green light from European authorities.
"
We have a European authorization but we know that there will be deliveries at the earliest in mid or end of April
", indicated the conservative minister during a press conference.
"
It is important that the European Commission as a signatory of the contract with J&J leads discussions
", he added, without specifying the reasons for this delivery delay.
Read also: With its anti-Covid vaccine sold at cost price, Johnson & Johnson hopes to restore its image
The single injection vaccine from this American laboratory became the fourth to be authorized in the 27 member states on Thursday.
But while for the three previous laboratories (BionTech / Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca), deliveries had almost started in the wake of their marketing authorization, Europeans will still have to wait before the first injections.
Firm order of 200 million doses
"
The contract (with Johnson & Johnson) was signed in October, so the question must be asked what happened
", hammered Mr. Spahn, specifying that 300 million euros had been paid in advance for that the group can increase its production capacities.
“
Quick and short-term solutions
” are being studied, he said, referring to “
the possibility of production in Germany
”.
“
But in fact we shouldn't have to help in the short term, the company should have organized itself months ago when the contract was signed,
” he criticized.
The European Union's green light for the Johnson & Johnson product is supposed to be a boost to the EU's vaccination program, which has been criticized particularly in Germany but also in other countries for its slowness.
The EU has signed on to a firm order for 200 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine, plus an option for an additional 200 million.
The group pledged Thursday to deliver 200 million doses by the end of the year.
This vaccine is the first, given a green light in the Union, to require only one injection instead of two, in addition to being able to be stored at refrigerator temperatures.
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Images of the first injections of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the United States
