The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Saturday May 8 announced a new contract to purchase up to 1.8 billion doses of anti-Covid vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech.
The contract includes a firm order for 900 million doses and an option for another 900 million.
"Happy to announce that the Commission has just approved a contract for 900 million firm doses (+900 million optional) with BioNTech and Pfizer" ", welcomed the head of European diplomacy on Twitter. other contracts and other vaccine technologies will follow, ”she added.
Happy to announce that @EU_Commission has just approved a contract for guaranteed 900 million doses (+900 million options) with @BioNTech_Group @Pfizer for 2021-2023.
Other contracts and other vaccine technologies will follow.
- Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 8, 2021
Deliveries until 2023
These new deliveries, scheduled for this year and until 2023, will make it possible in particular to adapt to new variants of the coronavirus, but also to vaccinate children and adolescents.
The EU is now openly relying on so-called messenger RNA vaccines, such as those from BioNTech-Pfizer and the American Moderna, an innovative technology deemed more effective against the so-called "South African" and "Brazilian" variants.
AstraZeneca's vaccine, which uses more traditional technology, suffered severe delivery delays which prompted the EU to take legal action against the Swedish-British laboratory.
Rare cases of thrombosis associated with its inoculation have also led to its use being restricted.
The contract announced on Saturday is the third concluded between the EU and the German-American alliance.
The Commission, which negotiates on behalf of the Twenty-Seven, signed a first contract in November with BioNTech and Pfizer for a total of 300 million doses (including an option for 100 million).
Brussels then signed a second contract on January 8, also for 300 million doses (including 100 million optional).
"Vaccination is progressing well" in Europe
"With over 200 million doses delivered in the EU, we are on track to meet our goal: enough doses to immunize 70% of adults in the EU by July. Almost 160 million Europeans now have received a first injection. "
explained the head of the European executive on Twitter.
"Vaccination is progressing well" in Europe, "now we are preparing the next step in our response" to the pandemic, she added.
With over 200 million doses delivered in the 🇪🇺 we are on track to reach our goal:
Enough doses to vaccinate 70% of EU adults in July.
Close to 160 million Europeans have now received a 1st shot.
https://t.co/5atZAFjmQE
- Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 8, 2021
In total, the EU has received 67 million doses of the BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine alone in the first quarter of 2021, and expects 250 million in the second quarter.
Some 280 million doses should follow in the second half of the year.
With AFP
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