AstraZeneca defends EU vaccine rollout plan
The head of AstraZeneca has defended its rollout of the coronavirus vaccine in the EU, amid tension with member states over delays in supply.
Pascal Soriot told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that his workforce was working "24/7 to repair the very many issues of production of the vaccine".
He said production was "basically 8 weeks behind where we wanted to be".
He as well said the EU's late decision to sign agreements had given limited time to straighten out hiccups with supply.
Mr Soriot, chief executive of the UK-Swedish multinational, said a agreement with the UK had been signed three months before the a single with the EU, giving more time for glitches to be ironed out.
He told La Repubblica that problems found in "scaling up" vaccine development were being experienced in two plants, one found in the Netherlands and one found in Belgium.
"It's complicated, specifically in the first phase where you must really sort out a variety of issues," he said.
"We believe we've sorted out those issues, but we are basically 8 weeks behind where we wished to be."
He added: "We've as well had teething issues such as this in the UK supply chain. However the UK contract was signed 90 days prior to the European vaccine deal. Hence with the UK we've had an extra 90 days to fix all the glitches we experienced.
"Would I just like to do better? Of course. But, you understand, if we deliver in February what we are planning to deliver, it's certainly not a little volume. We are planning to deliver an incredible number of doses to Europe, it isn't small."
Mr Soriot also said AstraZeneca was focusing on a good vaccine with Oxford University that could target the South African variant of the coronavirus.
Scientists experience warned you will find a chance the South African variant can harm the potency of current vaccines.
The AstraZeneca vaccine has already been being found in the UK but has not yet been approved by the EU, although the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is likely to give it the green light towards the end of this month.
The bloc signed a deal in August for 300 million doses, with a choice for 100 million more. The EU experienced hoped that, when approval was presented with, delivery would start right away, with some 80 million doses arriving in the 27 nations by March.
The EU has ordered 600 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which has already been being applied to patients around the bloc.
But Pfizer-BioNTech said last week it had been delaying shipments for another few weeks as a result of work to improve capacity at its Belgian plant.
In response to the delays, the EU has stated it might restrict exports of vaccines made in the bloc.
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said corporations making Covid vaccines in the bloc would have to "provide early notification every time they want to export vaccines to third countries".
She said the 27-member EU bloc would "take any action required to protect its citizens".
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, addressing the virtual version of the annual World Economic Forum (WEF), usually held in Davos, reported: "Europe invested billions to greatly help develop the world's 1st Covid-19 vaccines. And now, the firms must deliver. They must honour their obligations."
