EU eyes plan to share surplus COVID-19 vaccines with poorer nations

EU eyes scheme to share surplus COVID-19 vaccines with poorer nations The European Union wants to set up a mechanism that would allow the sharing of surplus COVID-19 vaccines with poorer neighbouring states and Africa, the EU health chief said on Tuesday, in a move that may undercut a WHO-led global scheme. Francesco Guarascio U.S.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union wants to set up a mechanism that would allow the sharing of surplus COVID-19 vaccines with poorer neighbouring states and Africa, the EU health chief said on Tuesday, in a move that may undercut a WHO-led global scheme.

The EU, with a population of 450 million, has already secured nearly 2.3 billion COVID-19 vaccines and candidates from six companies, although most of them still need regulatory approval.

“We are working with member states to propose a European mechanism to share vaccines beyond our borders,” EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides told EU lawmakers on Tuesday, confirming a Reuters report from December.

She stressed the mechanism would get vaccines to poorer countries “before COVAX is fully operational”, referring to the global scheme co-led by the World Health Organisation set up last summer to ensure a fair distribution of COVID-19 shots across the world.

COVAX is already operational but has so far struggled to secure vaccines. It announced in December deals for nearly 2 billion doses, but the largest part of these shots has been pledged by vaccine makers under non-binding accords because COVAX is currently short of money to book them in advance.

“Firms will not give you doses if you don’t pay in advance,” a senior EU vaccine negotiator said on condition of anonymity, noting that the EU initiative was the result of COVAX having fallen short of expectations. ...