And three.
After authorizing the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at the end of December and that of Moderna at the beginning of January, Brussels validates this Friday the arrival of the vaccine produced by the Swedish-British laboratory AstraZeneca on the European Union market, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Only those over 18 are concerned.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which announced the news from its headquarters in Amsterdam, says the vaccine is also suitable for people over 65.
This is far from trivial, which spares European governments a re-examination of their strategy focused on priority vaccination of the elderly.
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The green light indeed comes in an unfavorable context, since the 27 are already criticizing the delays in delivery of the British vaccine and that the German vaccination commission advised against, on Thursday, that it be administered to over 65s.
Despite this unfavorable context, the validation of the AstraZeneca vaccine also comes at the time of an epidemic resurgence that the Member States are trying by all means to contain.
AstraZeneca falls under the wrath of EU leaders
On Thursday, the German Vaccination Commission (STIKO) announced that it would recommend the vaccine "only for people aged 18 to 64".
"The data currently available are insufficient to assess the efficacy of the vaccine beyond 65 years", she justifies.
What arouse the immediate reaction of AstraZeneca.
"The latest analyzes […] confirm the effectiveness of the vaccine in the group over 65 years", assures the laboratory.
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In addition to the effectiveness of its vaccine questioned on seniors, the Swedish-British pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca has suffered the wrath of EU leaders for several days because of delays in deliveries.
AstraZeneca had argued last week of a "drop in yield" at a European manufacturing site, explaining that it could deliver only "a quarter" of the doses initially promised to the EU in the first quarter.
Playing, in part, the transparency card, before giving the green light to the vaccine, the EU has published online the contract signed last year with AstraZeneca to pre-order its anti-Covid vaccine.
Document largely amputated of whole parts, blackened for reasons of confidentiality.
The goal?
Recall the commitments made by the laboratory, bringing up to 400 million doses of this vaccine.
"Do not lower your guard" on restrictions in Europe
Brussels, which has pre-ordered up to 400 million doses of the AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine, is not convinced by these justifications, deeming them "unsatisfactory".
The EU therefore requested an inspection of a Belgian factory of the laboratory.
"Certain documents and data" seized are "under examination", indicated Thursday evening a spokesperson for the Belgian Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP).
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European countries are complaining about the slow production of vaccines and the situation is tense in several member states, while the European office of the WHO urged Thursday not to "lower our guard" on the restrictions that go elsewhere be strengthened in certain countries of the continent.
Worldwide, the Covid-19 has killed at least 2.17 million people and infected more than 100.8 million people, according to a report established by AFP on Thursday.