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Will Astra Zeneca's corona vaccine only be approved in the EU for people under 65?

This is reported by the "Bild" newspaper.

The reason for the possible non-approval of the vaccine for seniors is apparently a low effectiveness in this age group.

That emerges from internal discussions between the federal government and the federal states.

The "Business Insider" also reports that the Federal Ministry of Health is already considering adapting the vaccination sequence in favor of younger people.

Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) announced this in a conference call with his country colleagues on Monday.

The Ministry of Health rejected the "Bild" report meanwhile.

Around eight percent of the subjects in the Astra-Zeneca effectiveness study were between 56 and 69 years old, and only three to four percent were over 70 years old.

From this, however, an effectiveness of only eight percent in the elderly cannot be derived, as reported by the “Handelsblatt”, among others.

The preparation of the British-Swedish pharmaceutical company is expected to be approved by the EU Medicines Agency EMA on Friday.

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Astra Zeneca, however, refers to data published in November by the specialist magazine "The Lancet", according to which older people showed a strong immune system reaction to the drug.

In 100 percent of "older adults", antibodies specifically directed against the coronavirus were generated after the second vaccination dose.

Delay in delivery - Greens are calling for a lawsuit

Astra Zeneca is already facing criticism in the EU because the company recently announced that it would be able to deliver fewer cans than planned to the European Union.

The company cited problems in a production facility as the reason.

Astra Zeneca did not initially announce how big the failures will be.

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EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on the manufacturers of corona vaccines to meet their delivery obligations.

Europe has "invested billions to support the development of the world's first Covid-19 vaccines," said von der Leyen on Tuesday in her video-broadcast speech for the World Economic Forum.

"And now the companies have to deliver, they have to keep their commitments."

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Spahn said he could understand that with such a "complex process like vaccine production" problems can arise.

This must then "affect everyone fairly and equally".

It is not about “EU first, but about Europe's share, ie the fair share”.

Spahn emphasized that the EU had concluded contracts with Astra Zeneca and had already financed the development of additional production capacities.

The EU has invested around 336 million euros to help ramp up Astra Zeneca's production capacities.

The European political spokeswoman for the Green Group, Franziska Brantner, calls for legal action against the pharmaceutical company.

"Astra Zeneca can't get away with flimsy excuses," Brantner told Reuters.

"But that must not lead to export restrictions", she criticizes the decision of the EU Commission to require export permits for the export of vaccines in the future.

“Breach of contract on the part of the manufacturer must not lead to a breach of contract with third countries, which will therefore go away empty-handed.

That is also a question of global vaccination fairness. "