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It is shortly before 5 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon when Emer Cooke (59) appears on video in the EU Parliament's health committee.

The head of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in The Hague is the woman of the hour: her authority decides when which vaccine is approved, with what duration and under what conditions.

"The world is looking at you," a French Green MP told Cooke.

The pharmacist from Ireland smiles briefly.

She is very well prepared, she has saved countless data and speaking points on her screen.

The lady in the pink blazer talks in detail about "pharmacovigilance", drug safety in vaccines and "randomized trials".

She also says: "My employees work very, very hard."

Cooke says that she “looks at emails at midnight or 4 a.m.” that is “nothing unusual”.

The director from The Hague only stays tight-lipped when it comes to the essentials, when it comes to the approval of vaccines or their tried and tested side effects.

No verdict on effectiveness of Astra-Zeneca vaccine in seniors

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The first questioner is the most important health politician in the EU Parliament: CDU man and pediatrician Peter Liese.

He is the spokesman in the health committee for the conservative majority parliamentary group EPP.

“What are the options to consider when approving Astra Zeneca?” He asks.

An explosive question.

Because on Friday the vaccine of the British-Swedish company is expected to be approved - in which form is unclear.

According to media reports, the federal government should expect an effectiveness of only eight percent for people over the age of 65.

The company and a spokesman for Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn firmly rejected the number.

Liese had also criticized the reporting publicly before: "This is a very nasty newspaper duck and the media that have disseminated this information urgently need to review their way of working." The fact is rather that "the vaccine also with elderly has shown a good immune response ”.

Read on: "The experts have to assess the exact effectiveness, but it is more at 80 percent than at eight percent."

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The answer comes at 5:28 p.m.

Cooke says, “In the studies that have been done, there are very, very few elderly people who have participated.

Our Scientific Committee looks at total data. ”You cannot anticipate the decision.

However, limited admission is only possible for certain age groups.

At the moment, new data was still being received from the manufacturer that would be taken into account.

This would help better assess the vaccine's performance, Cooke said.

Unfortunately, that's it.

The EMA boss did not take the opportunity to end the debate about the effectiveness of the vaccine in seniors.

Why didn't she say more?

Vaccines apparently effective with mutation B.1.1.7

Tilly Metz, Green MEP from Luxembourg, has a completely different question: “Are the vaccines safe for children, pregnant women and the chronically ill?” Cooke replied that there have been no vaccine studies with pregnant women and children.

"There is still more research to be done."

This also applies to the chronically ill.

But Metz still wants to know: "Can you still be a Covid-19 carrier after a vaccination?"

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Cooke's remarks on the effectiveness of the previously approved vaccines from Biontech / Pfizer and Moderna on the mutations that occurred were remarkable.

"Initial findings are that the vaccine is effective," says Cooke.

This applies at least to the British variant B.1.1.7.

Then she adds: “The South African variant still needs some work.” This is not a good idea and suggests that the two approved vaccines may have to be readjusted so that they also work against the South African mutation.

Cooke says nothing about the Brazilian Corona variant.

EMA has knowledge of 180 options for treating Covid-19 - and is in talks with Russia

In the end, the EMA boss mentions a few more remarkable facts.

It makes no “significant” difference whether the vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer is injected a second time after 19 days or after 42 days.

In addition, 180 different options for the treatment of Covid-19 have been developed so far.

“We work with the developers.

We still need clinical tests, ”says Cooke.

It is not yet clear which drugs will ultimately be approved.

And: The EMA is apparently already in talks with the manufacturers of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V, which Hungary has already bought without consulting other EU countries.

The vaccine is not approved in the EU.

The Russian scientists speak of an effectiveness of 92 percent.

A complete data set has not yet been published.

But it could well be that at some point it will get a chance in the EU if the EMA should give its approval beforehand.

Putin's vaccine for the EU - that would be a punch line.