AstraZeneca will deliver nine million more doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the European Union in the first quarter of this year, providing a total of 40 million for the period and will start delivering a week earlier than expected, European President said the Commission on Sunday.
The Anglo-Swedish company unexpectedly announced earlier this month that it would cut supplies to the EU of its vaccine candidate during the first quarter, which would lead to a series of deliveries.
“AstraZeneca will deliver an additional 9 million doses in the first quarter (a total of 40 million) compared to last week’s offer and will start delivering a week earlier than planned,” Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, wrote on Twitter. The company would expand its manufacturing capacity in Europe, she said.
Step forward on vaccines. @ AstraZeneca will deliver 9 million additional doses during the first quarter (a total of 40 million) compared to last week’s offer and will start delivering a week earlier than planned.
The company will also expand its manufacturing capacity in Europe.
– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) January 31, 2021
Last week, the company had offered to deliver some deliveries to the EU. It had also offered eight million more doses to the European Union to try to remove the dispute, but an EU official told Reuters it was too far from what was originally promised as AstraZeneca had committed to at least 80 million shots in the first quarter.
Earlier on Sunday, the President of the European Commission held a video conference with the CEO of companies that manufacture vaccines and warned of the threat of coronavirus variants.
“It is important to prepare for the emergence of such variants,” Von der Leyen said in a statement.
(REUTERS)
