11. 11. 2020. 00:00   >>  15:38 0

AGAINST COVID

The EC has approved the purchase of 300 million doses of the vaccine

Today, the European Commission approved a fourth contract with pharmaceutical companies BioNTech and Pfizer, which provides for the initial purchase of 200 million doses on behalf of all EU Member States, plus an option to request up to a further 100 million doses, to be supplied once a vaccine has proven to be safe and effective against COVID-19.

Member States can decide to donate the vaccine to lower and middle-income countries or to re-direct it to other European countries.

“Once authorised, they will be quickly deployed and bring us closer to a sustainable solution of the pandemic.” President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen said.

 With this fourth contract the EU is now consolidating a solid vaccine candidate portfolio, most of them in advanced trials phase, she said.

“A safe and effective vaccine is the only lasting exit strategy from the pandemic, and is at the centre of our European Vaccine Strategy.” Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety said.

In addition to this last agreement, the European Commission has so far signed contracts for the supply of vaccines with the pharmaceutical companies "Astra Zeneca", "Sanofi" and "Johnson and Johnson", while preliminary talks have been completed with "CureVac", "Moderna".