To expect this from Trump, not the EU?

[The6thQueen]

Maybe I’m naive or need to be ‘educated’, but this smacks of a toddler throwing their toys out of the pram

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/covid-19-italy-and-eu-block-oxford-vaccine-shipment-to-australia-12235848

Despite good arguments about where need is greatest, it's the principle of the matter. And a legal principle and precedent. This is private property. Paid for by the Australian government. For the EU to prevent its rightful owner to take possession is surely a slippery slope.

If an agreement had been made with Australia that would be a totally different matter.

Oh come on let's be honest. The only reason this even appeared in the UK news is because we still want to EU bash. If we were talking pasta, nobody would give a buggers. As the Australians here have noted, they don't care and it isn't even news in Australia. Yet a country whose business it isn't is making a big deal of it. Whether or not you voted to leave, it's over and a decision has been implemented. So what Europe does is their business and not ours. Perhaps people could spend more time being outraged by £millions spent on a briefing room just because the US president has one, Carrie trying to set up a charity to pay for her wallpaper; or something else that is happening in the UK. There's plenty to get disturbed about that isn't something that is none of our business any more.

@Moondust001

Oh come on let's be honest. The only reason this even appeared in the UK news is because we still want to EU bash. If we were talking pasta, nobody would give a buggers. As the Australians here have noted, they don't care and it isn't even news in Australia. Yet a country whose business it isn't is making a big deal of it. Whether or not you voted to leave, it's over and a decision has been implemented. So what Europe does is their business and not ours. Perhaps people could spend more time being outraged by £millions spent on a briefing room just because the US president has one, Carrie trying to set up a charity to pay for her wallpaper; or something else that is happening in the UK. There's plenty to get disturbed about that isn't something that is none of our business any more.

The impact of the new EU law is that they can block exports of Pfizer and Moderna to the UK. That is why it is relevant to the UK.

My parents are due their 2nd Pfizer vaccine soon and I worry about supply disruption.

That’s a somewhat shortsighted view isn’t it Moondust?

If we were talking pasta, nobody would give a buggers.

Well no of course they wouldn’t really give a buggers. A shipment of pasta is of pretty much zero significance/importance to anyone tbh. In a global pandemic withholding a shipment of vaccines is something quite different.

So what Europe does is their business and not ours.
Has the EU political shitstorm over AZ not highlighted anything to you? We were ticking along quite fine, minding our own business and getting on with our vaccine programme until the EU decided to make it political and subsequently put it on everyone’s radar.

I think you are being rather naive if you think this is going to be a one off between Australia and Italy. France are already making noises about being prepared to apply exactly the same if necessary.

As I said up thread it’s a slippery slope the EU are now on where it could very well become everyone’s problem.

Brexiteers find they didn't want the consequences of Brexit after all.

Could you pass me my very small violin over, please?

@j712adrian

Brexiteers find they didn't want the consequences of Brexit after all.

Could you pass me my very small violin over, please?

What relevance does Brexit have to Australia?

If the 'consequences of Brexit' involve me getting a vaccine this year, I find myself feeling okay about them!

What a very orchestrated thread

'Oh dear! I'm beginning to see we are better off out of it!!

Err no. We're not.

HTH.

Italy has had 3 million cases and 100,000 deaths. Austalia has had 30,000 cases and 900 deaths. I cant believe people are surprised that Italy does not want to send a large shipment of vaccines to Australia. Australia certainly isnt.
The EU has completely fucked up on many things with the vaccines. Supporting Italy on this is not one of them.

@TooMuchYarn

Italy has had 3 million cases and 100,000 deaths. Austalia has had 30,000 cases and 900 deaths. I cant believe people are surprised that Italy does not want to send a large shipment of vaccines to Australia. Australia certainly isnt. The EU has completely fucked up on many things with the vaccines. Supporting Italy on this is not one of them.

Don't you think it's a decent point that they could have ASKED rather than seizing the shipment? Australia are supposed to be a friendly nation up the EU.

Yes, they should have asked. But they were going to do it anyway, and I support that. Just as I would support any country refusing to export food during a famine. The lives of a countries citizens should come above any countries obligations to other countries.

It wasn't the country's obligations to Australia though that they've decided to renege upon (which I would have some sympathy with during war, famine, or pandemic) it was a private company's obligation. A country shouldn't just seize someone else's property because it happens to be made there.
Civilization only functions if everyone respects agreements.
Now, in this case most are agreed that Italy needs it more - that doesn't make it right to just take it.

@TooMuchYarn

Italy has had 3 million cases and 100,000 deaths. Austalia has had 30,000 cases and 900 deaths. I cant believe people are surprised that Italy does not want to send a large shipment of vaccines to Australia. Australia certainly isnt. The EU has completely fucked up on many things with the vaccines. Supporting Italy on this is not one of them.

They should have asked Australia if they could keep the vaccine there rather than just taking it. The vaccine doesn't belong to Italy just because it was partly made in a factory there. Vaccine production depends on collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and (in some cases universities) around the world. In the case of AstraZeneca, it starts in the UK. EU countries that seek to block exportation are potentially going to ruin the collaboration and it may come back to bite them.

Dont blame them. Most countries act to protect their citizens even at the expense of private property. I mean, ours wouldnt but I dont see that as a good thing. Maybe we could ship some of our supply to Australia to make up for it. I'm sure the public would support that.

@Emeraldshamrock the rollout of complete vaccination is slow but ongoing.
Complete vaccination numbers are very low in general. Senior homes were hit very hard, hence it makes sense that they are vaccinated first.

@Porcupineintherough

Dont blame them. Most countries act to protect their citizens even at the expense of private property. I mean, ours wouldnt but I dont see that as a good thing. Maybe we could ship some of our supply to Australia to make up for it. I'm sure the public would support that.

It's not "their" supply though. That's the whole point!