AstraZeneca will start deliveries earlier than scheduled, expand its production capacity
A patient gets a shot of COVID-19 vaccine in Boston. File pic/AFP
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has agreed to supply 9 million additional doses of its coronavirus vaccine to the European Union during the first quarter, the bloc’s executive arm said on Sunday.
The new target of 40 million doses by the end of March is still only half what the British-Swedish company had originally aimed for before it announced a shortfall due to production problems, triggering a spat between AstraZeneca and the EU last week.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a call with seven vaccine makers on Sunday that AstraZeneca will also begin deliveries one week sooner than scheduled and expand its manufacturing capacity in Europe.
“Step forward on vaccines,” tweeted Von der Leyen, who has come under intense pressure over the European Commission’s handling of the vaccine orders in recent days. The EU is far behind Britain and the US in getting its population of 450 million vaccinated against the virus. The slow rollout has been blamed on a range of national problems as well as slower authorization of the vaccines and an initial shortage of supply.
Global shares up
Global stock markets rose on Monday after AstraZeneca agreed to increase supplies to Europe. Markets were rattled by AstraZeneca’s announcement it would supply the European Union with fewer than half the promised doses, which prompted the EU to impose export controls.
3,16,103
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours
10,30,47,775
Total no. of cases worldwide
22,29,739
Total no. of deaths worldwide
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
