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Mainz (dpa) - The vaccine planned for Germany by the Mainz company Biontech and its US partner Pfizer is currently still in Belgium.
The transport of the cans from the Pfizer plant in Puurs, Belgium to Germany to a central delivery point could only begin after approval by the European Commission, announced Biontech board member Sean Marett on Friday.
From there, the vaccine will be brought to the individual distribution centers in the federal states.
In Germany and Turkey, Biontech says it is responsible for delivery, while Pfizer takes care of it in all other countries.
Marett did not provide precise information on the amount of vaccine doses that will soon be delivered to the EU member states.
The distribution is based on an EU key, he said.
The production of the messenger molecule mRNA for clinical or commercial production takes place according to the information in the Biontech plants in Mainz and Idar-Oberstein in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Then the solution is cleaned and concentrated, explained Marett the production process.
Finally, the raw material is brought to Pfizer in Belgium, where the preparation is further processed, bottled and labeled.
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When asked why the global study by Biontech and Pfizer did not show any allergic reactions in vaccinees, Marett said that people who had severe allergies to vaccines or components thereof were excluded as subjects, as were pregnant women and children.
In the UK, where more than 140,000 people have already received the vaccine, two people who had been vaccinated had shown more severe allergic reactions.
This Monday, the European Medicines Agency EMA wants to give its assessment of the vaccine from Biontech and Pfizer.
According to his own words, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) expects the EU Commission to allow the serum on Tuesday.
The Paul Ehrlich Institute responsible in Germany then checks the delivery batches to see whether the vaccination doses correspond to the approval.
The institute has now received the first test samples and started investigations, as announced on Friday evening.
Biontech