BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany expects the European Union to swiftly approve the coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca that was scrapped for use in Britain on Wednesday, its chief vaccination officer said.
Berlin’s support for AstraZeneca comes as EU member states try to fill supply chains for vaccine campaigns that began last weekend using bullets from Pfizer and BioNTech – the only one to be licensed from the EU so far.
Germany has made significant progress, claiming 78,000 views have been provided, but there have been reports of problems with some vaccine establishments shutting down for some time due to a shortage of supply.
Responding to complaints in the capital Berlin and in the federal states of Brandenburg and Bavaria about delays in the delivery of the Pfizer vaccine, the Ministry of Health said more shipments were expected on Jan. 8 and Jan. 18.
COVID-19-related deaths in Germany hit a daily high of 1,129 on Wednesday, bringing total deaths to 32,107, as local authorities seized on a repeat of the Christmas report. Total confirmed cases reached 1.69 million.
Wholesale newspaper Bild reported that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief of staff had agreed at a video conference with regional leaders to extend closure to Jan. 24 and 31.
Merkel will finalize a date and details of the steps at talks with regional leaders in the new year.
Klaus Cichutek, head of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, said that thanks to the EU ‘s ongoing review of the AstraZeneca vaccine, it would be possible to make a speedy decision once a formal application has been submitted.
No such claim was received by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) before Wednesday morning, Cichutek told reporters, but a debate in his advice would continue as soon as it arrived.
“Once the application is submitted a decision can be made promptly,” Cichutek told a news conference.
“THOROUGH AND QUICK”
German Health Minister Jens Spahn has called for a “thorough and swift review” of the AstraZeneca vaccine by EMA, as well as the prospect of a moderna view in early January.
“Vaccination is the best way to get rid of this pandemic,” Spahn told reporters.
“Prevention of death and suffering is crucial. This is the best way to get back to normal life. “
Spahn confirmed that Germany is still expected to deliver 1.3 million doses of the Pfizer image by the end of the year. Then, after the two workers in January, weekly loads of 670,000 doses would follow every Monday, his ministry said.
Even with more supply going in early 2021, it will take months to move the general population.
“I can only plead for patience,” he said. “Don’t forget we have a vaccine … that’s reason enough for joy and hope.”
Amid higher susceptibility, continued strong reductions in social ties would remain necessary, officials said.
“It will take months for people to get enough vaccines to reduce the spread of the virus in the population,” said Lothar Wieler, head of the Robert Koch Institute responsible for coordinating Germany’s pandemic response.
Written by Douglas Busvine; Edited by John Stonestreet and Alison Williams