Covid Vaccine - Page 4

The lives of the population of ANY country should not be a political issue. This would appear to be what it has become. The vaccine should be readily available to every country not just one.

I would agree that the vaccines should be shared equally with Europe and the rest of the world and that the UK needs to start working on a solution with the EU to ensure supply is fairly shared. It is pointless just protecting one country unless we all want to live a isolated existence like NZ and Australia.

   The current issues between the UK and the EU are a diversion by the EU to deflect attention away from the fact that they ordered too late and they spread their orders across too many manufacturers. Added to which their approval processes have taken too long.  Basically it's a mess.

  They are forecast to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine today, but then the Germans only want to give it to the under 65's, so why are they even arguing about supplies when the over 70's have hardly been started on yet? It has got so bad that Hungary are ordering vaccines from Russia and China! Compare that with the UK were the government ordered 3 months earlier, put substantial sums up front into the development of the vaccines and the UK production sites then approved vaccines far ahead of the EU. I would say that what lies behind the current spat.

AItch.  

nikkimunday The vaccine is available to every nation, in part because nations like the UK put money in upfront to develop the vaccine. All nations can place an order and receive it as and when the company delivers those in front of them. It has taken a herculean effort on behalf of the pharma companies to develop and bring their vaccines to market in such a short time. Most of problems being encountered at the moment are related to the ramping up of the production process to allow everyone to have the vaccine. As of this morning the EU.are (rumoured today to be) about to approve the AstraZenaca vaccine, and are threatening to refuse the export to third countries of Pizer vaccine until their needs are met. Not only are they threatening to withhold this vaccine they are threatening sanctions if AstraZeneca do not send the vaccines approved and produced in the UK to the EU. So much for respecting the human rights of all those seeking the vaccine and the right to have it. As I have said previously the EU attitude is "we are rich and powerful so" us first second and last, then the rest can have it

It is good news, though they still they need to go through regulatory approval and I'm not sure how long that takes.

Aitch.

I don't understand this comment.....the lives of populations in countries is entirely political. Social policies, economic policies, healthcare systems, defence policies etc etc.

Absolutely agree. This is a massive cockup by the EU that is causing huge embarrassment politically and undermines the whole collective strength principles of the bloc. Merkel must have choked on her bratwurst when reading in the German press that this was a great advert for Brexit. And frankly the EU has shown their petticoats in the way they've handled this with their lack of mea culpa.

It seems the EU realised that invoking Article 16 was a disastrous misstep and stopped it before it could do more harm. Probably a lesson in that. 

Yes I agree but bear in mind that AstraZeneca has formulated and tested their vaccine at their own cost, and is now producing it at no profit. It is also ramping up local production worldwide to enable third world governments to vaccinate their populations as cheaply as possible.

The other pharma companies aren't, so please don't paint them all the same.

It is instructive to look at who is currently receiving all the vaccinations - the countries and blocs who financed them. This includes AstraZeneca, who (understandably under the current system) prioritise those who financed them through preorders. The problem is that this leads to inequity and suffering in countries who can’t afford preorders, and also allows for variants to develop in places where the virus is left to run rampant. A new way of thinking globally is needed for everyone’s sake, including our own. 

Hi there, it’s not about grabbing the lions share whatsoever.

What it is about is forward thinking and getting on and doing the right thing at the right time.

The EU has dragged it’s feet yet again and has failed miserably in providing for it’s citizens.

Brian.