Rebellion in the EU: two countries cut each other by slowness with vaccines

BERLIN.- Austria and Denmark intend to stop relying solely on the European Union (EU) as the sole supplier of coronavirus vaccines and they will work with Israel to produce second generation vaccines, the Austrian chancellor said.

Sebastian Kurz is due to visit Israel with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday and meet with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu., on cooperation in research and production of vaccines.

The EU has been criticized for slow progress on its vaccination program, after Israel has already vaccinated a large part of its population. Kurz explained in a statement sent today to the Austria Press news agency that in principle it was okay to take a European approach to vaccines, but noted that the European Medicines Agency was slow to approve of new drugs and pointed out that the pharmaceutical companies supply problems.

“We must prepare for new mutations and we must no longer rely solely on the EU for the production of second generation vaccines,” he added.

According to the agency, Kurz said that Austria and Denmark “will not depend on the EU in the future and will produce doses of second-generation vaccines against additional new mutations of the coronavirus with Israel in the years to come. , in addition to jointly investigating treatment possibilities. “

Austria has so far vaccinated just under 5.5% of its population.

For Frederiksen, the world is “shouting” its desire to improve the pace of production. And he hopes that this “long-term collaboration” lays the foundations for a “sustainable production” strategy.

“Currently, vaccines are being promoted here and now. But we also have to make sure that we will have enough in a year, then in two, three, five, ten years, ”he added.

The president of the Austrian Association of Vaccine Manufacturers (Ã-HIV), Renée Gallo-Daniel, called the strategy between the three countries “very, very innovative”.

But he also warned, in a national radio interview, that it takes “normally five to ten years to start production and at least a few months to a year to reorient an existing production facility.”

More and more EU countries are distancing themselves from the tutelage of Brussels.

The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary have already turned to other suppliers, such as Russian and Chinese, without waiting for EMA approval.

AFP and AP agencies

THE NATION

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