Covid: EU confirms target of 300 million vaccine doses in the 2nd quarter

Brussels, March 16 (beraking latest news Health) – The European Commission confirms the goal of having in the second quarter 2021 deliveries of anti-Covid vaccines for “300 million doses”, which is the “overall figure for all the pharmaceutical companies” that have approved serums (Pfizer / BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson). This was stated by the chief spokesman of the Commission Eric Mamer, in a press briefing in Brussels.

The target is confirmed despite the agreement with Pfizer / BioNTech to anticipate the delivery of 10 million doses in the second quarter, announced a little while ago, which should bring the total deliveries by the US-Germany consortium to 200 million. When asked whether 55 million doses of the Janssen (J&J) vaccine are included in the estimate of 300 million, Mamer replies that the 300 million is an “overall estimate” and that the situation is constantly “evolving”.

While it is undisputed that Pfizer / BioNTech is the supplier most in line with the commitments, to the point of being able to anticipate deliveries scheduled for the second half, and that AstraZeneca is the furthest behind, it is not possible to establish with absolute certainty which other suppliers have problems, whether Johnson & Johnson, or Moderna, or both, or neither and only AstraZeneca, because the Commission does not provide a complete picture of the numbers. However, it is known that J&J has announced problems for deliveries to the EU in the second quarter, which will begin only in the second half of April, more than a month after the authorization. The US company limited itself to confirming that it will honor its commitment to deliver 200 million doses in 2021, without providing guarantees on the quantity of doses that will be delivered in the second quarter. J&J just said deliveries will start around that time.