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The vaccinations against the coronavirus can now also start in the European Union.
The EU Commission granted the preparation of the Mainz company Biontech and its US partner Pfizer the conditional marketing authorization, as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday.
"Today we are adding an important chapter to the fight against Covid-19."
It is the first vaccine against the coronavirus that can be used in the EU.
In the afternoon, the European Medicines Agency EMA recommended conditional marketing authorization.
The EU Commission has now followed this recommendation.
The EMA carefully checked the vaccine, said von der Leyen.
This test showed that the vaccine was safe and effective against the coronavirus.
Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) had already spoken of a "milestone in fighting pandemics" after the EMA recommendation.
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In Germany, the first cans are to be injected this Sunday.
Until then, the federally owned Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI) should check and approve the vaccine batches.
Initially there should be around 400,000 cans for Germany.
First of all, people over 80, staff and residents of nursing homes as well as health workers with a very high risk of infection should be vaccinated.
According to the clinical studies, Biontech indicates the effectiveness of the vaccine with 95 percent.
Spahn expects three to four million cans for January
According to the Federal Ministry of Health, three to four million doses could be available in January.
In the first quarter, Spahn expects 11 to 13 million vaccine doses.
Since the preparation has to be administered twice, this amount would be sufficient for approximately 5.5 to 6.5 million people.
In total, the federal government has secured more than 300 million cans - from Biontech and other manufacturers - through an EU-wide key and national agreements.
In other countries such as the USA or Great Britain, the Biontech / Pfizer preparation is already being used on the basis of an emergency approval.
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