The E.U. And AstraZeneca row.

LauraNorder

Don’t be embarrassed mokryna the UK has done nothing wrong, we wisely ordered and signed contracts for the supply of vaccine from various sources. The EU dragged their feet in many areas and are now back pedalling and trying to blame Astra Zeneca to save political face.
The UK has already sent doses to dependencies in the West Indies and will absolutely share more as we always do. We are one of the most compassionate and generous countries in the world.

Absolutely

Don’t be embarrassed mokryna the UK has done nothing wrong, we wisely ordered and signed contracts for the supply of vaccine from various sources. The EU dragged their feet in many areas and are now back pedalling and trying to blame Astra Zeneca to save political face.
The UK has already sent doses to dependencies in the West Indies and will absolutely share more as we always do. We are one of the most compassionate and generous countries in the world.

The last I heard newswise, is that the EU are blocking pheizer exports into UK and elsewhere. They have even Demanded that AZ send the production from the UK to them!

Pheizer have a production line in Brussels and AZ do too.
Several EU member countries were ordering their own supplies but the EU commission said no, that it would all be centralised and then delayed putting an order in in time.

Why can't the EU Commission own up to their mishandling of the situation, instead of trying to put the blame elsewhere.

-“Norway has become one of the first countries in the world to explicitly commit to sharing Covid-19 vaccine doses with poorer countries at the same time as vaccinating its own citizens-“

No man is an island.

I am embarrassed to speak with my English accent.

‘The EU is investing €336m (£297m) in AstraZeneca in return for 400m doses. But not all of the money has been paid to the pharmaceutical company so EU lawyers are examining whether there has been a breach of contract.’

As said, without seeing the contracts, no-one can really judge the situation. Certainly very nimble- but all the breast beating and awful Press coverage by the Tabloid Press has certainly not helped.

We’ve certainly been very nimble.

Hopefully we will soon be able to give the vaccine in an easier format which means that the vaccine centres and all the staff won’t be necessary.

British campaign raises 820 million euros for Covid vaccine in poor countries
Britain has helped raise 818 million euros from global donors as part of a drive to help "vulnerable countries" access coronavirus vaccines, by match-funding contributions. The UK has also committed £548 million to the COVAX project, matching every $4 pledged by other donors with £1 from London.

In order for us to fight this virus, which recognises no boundaries, we must ensure the vaccine is used as effectively as possible world wide.

What a shame that certain elements of the press are politicising this. They are a nasty lot. Everyone wants the same thing and competition shouldn’t enter into it, and neither should rivalry between nations.

JenniferEccles

I am sure everyone is aware that it’s in all our interests for the whole world to be vaccinated as quickly as possible, but it’s just totally unacceptable for the EU to attempt to requisition millions of doses destined for us.

I was amused to read that the German press has stated that the EU’s handling of the vaccine rollout is ‘the best advert for Brexit’ !
The German press!!

So yes vaccinate all
But only if I get mine first?

Is that the pointy end of it?

There’s definitely a surplus - we’ve ordered 100 million doses of Astra-Zeneca, 40 million doses of Pfizer, and 17 million doses of Moderna as well.

Check out what some of the European press are saying about it all biba:

For much of the European press, the public spat between the EU and AstraZeneca was the latest Brexit battle – but there was little support for the bloc’s position.

Die Zeit - the German paper, said the European Commission had offered “the best advertisement for Brexit” by “acting slowly, bureaucratically and in a protectionist manner”.

“How did the atmosphere get so poisoned?” Bild_ asked, under a headline of “Vaccine row gets ever crazier”.

“If Europe keeps messing around with vaccines … it’s going to prove the Brexiteers right,” read an editorial in Belgium’s Het Laatste Nieuws._

Novovax is apparently 83% effective against the new Ariana too. Very impressive!

Not sure casdon but if it’s 2 doses then 60 million translates to 30 million people.

The EU has wide powers in case of a major crisis, and some governments want the EU to invoke article 122 to go even further than implement export restrictions and intervene the suppliers or even force them to share their patents with other labs, like BioNTech has done with Sanofi in partnership.

Could be bad for the UK especially if there's a new strain, as the AstraZeneca vaccine can't be easily adapted unlike BioNTech / Moderna and soon Curevac which is also promising

In other news, apparently AZ is now willing to publish most of the contract. It is also backtracking from its claim, and it may be able to supply the 80 million jabs (or close to) that it had early promised

This just now, the Guardian editorial on the situation:

“The aggressive tone of commission officials speaks to the domestic pressure that European leaders face. The EU has so far given only two doses per 100 residents, while the UK has delivered 11. Facing the backlash for a somewhat sluggish procurement programme, it cannot afford more delays. The legitimacy of the bloc and of individual governments are at stake, along with economic recovery.

But instead of issuing threats, the EU should be working with suppliers and other governments. In essence, the commission argues that AstraZeneca made a firm commitment to deliver the doses, while the firm says it promised its “best efforts”. It is in no one’s interests to turn a contractual dispute into a political row which can be exploited by anti-EU movements.”

The UK has purchased a lot more vaccine from the various companies than we actually need for our own population, does anybody know what the plans are for our surplus, will it be cancelled and a penalty clause paid, sold on, given to third world countries (which would be an amazing gesture), or used as our third doses maybe?

As a group of Islands relying on cooperation on borders for all exports and imports- whether as part of EU, and even more when ot- is paramount.

vegansrock

The development of the vaccine was a truly international affair, The U.K. got in quick which is good for us, but until other countries, particularly neighbouring ones catch up wit( the vaccination programme, which they undoubtedly will, we won’t be able to get back to normality in terms of travel, trade etc. so just crowing about how marvellous we are and how terrible everyone else is , perhaps we should just avoid stirring that pot.

Thankfully our own politicians seem to be standing back from any "stirring" vegansrock. We have also been very invested in Covax.

The EU will really have to talk to AstraZeneca in order to find a way through. I'm not sure threatening them is the best way forward.

EU Leaders and people have seen today all the front pages from the tabloids- and I can assure you they have noticed. It truly does NOT help long term- and is very likely to backfire, big time. Reality.

Von der Leyen doesn't have a very good track record with procurement, does she?

www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-biography-career-inconvenient-truth/

of course Urmstongran- but cooperation has to go both ways. In any relationship going through a difficult time, a win with lots of boasting and fanfare- is likely to backfire. There are ways and ways- stirring the hornets nest is rarely a good idea.

If the EU stop vaccine exports that would leave millions here with incomplete vaccinations, so the whole exercise would be threatened. I note that Johnson andGove have uncharacteristically not been drawn into self congratulation as they realise we are actually dependent on the vaccine manufactured in the the EU. They are playing down this situation.

Well biba this is a winner for the UK. And it is hugely important. Which is why the member states in the EU are so furious with the European Commission. The sooner we safely get out of lockdown, the sooner our schools can open fully and the UK economy gets the turbo boost it is desperately in need of.

Do you know what? I’m not stirring any pot. We are so used to bashing the UK post Brexit, can’t we just be delighted this once that things are going so well for us?

Can you just imagine if they weren’t?
Doesn’t bear thinking about if say, the government had gone along with the Oxford programme twinning with the (sadly failed) Merck laboratory.