A really interesting, calm interview with the head of AstraZeneca

[HelloThereMeHearties]

This is really worth reading, to shed some light on the whole sorry EU vaccine mess. It's in English.

Also really interesting about the mechanics of vaccine rollout.

www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2021/01/26/news/interview_pascal_soriot_ceo_astrazeneca_coronavirus_covid_vaccines-284349628/

Have the EU now approved the AZ vaccine?

Announcement due tomorrow?

Deep joy. Now all the trade experts that swiftly became epidemiology experts will now become pharmaceutical supply contract experts.

LOL. Reading articles in the popular press about vaccine development always reminds me to never trust journalist about anything. I may have even told the most annoyingly arrogant male members of my family that if they've read about something in the press then don't they think that those of us who work in the industry have years of experience being able to predict and ameliorate exactly the issue they just learnt about that morning over breakfast.

what I can't understand is now we have several with potential of a couple close , can others that are being worked on maybe now be used to manufacture the working ones ? Is there a way the world can up supply ??

The world is massively upping supply, there are new factories being build and the entire supply chain is expanding. But there are multiple vaccine technologies so the facilities making an attenuated virus can't make a protein subunit or a adenovirus vector or an mRNA vaccine. Also, we want lots of dìfferent vaccines. Pfizer is very efficient but it's also expensive, the storage is problematic and not everyone can take it. AZ gives best results when the two doses are further apart, leaving people less protected for longer. Vaccines that are still in trial may only need a single dose, have fewer side effects, be cheaper to make, be more efficient against future variants, may be more effective in immunocompromised individuals. We need all the vaccines in development, there are billions of people worldwide who need a vaccine and there will be continual improvement over the next few years.

@motorina most over 80's won't of had 2 nd dose either and some not the first, my nan late 80's is due second dose april , and friends dad in 80's only had first jab a couple days ago.

It will be interesting to see if the EU actually take the step and restrict exports to the U.K. if so that will be interesting as it could end up biting them because huge numbers if other vaccines are coming on tap in the next month or so and manufactured in the U.K. much of which is destined for export, including the EU

I suspect they will end up dealing down the rhetoric as it sounds more for internal consumption to their own population who are utterly pissed off with how how slumbering labyrinth has handled back e procurement (note the Commission isn't responsible for the actual roll out in each country)

It sounds like the EU are going ahead with blocking supplies sent out of the EU, Canada has 40 million doses on order, I wonder how that will work? They are going to check every order before it leaves the EU, it will slow everything down, they’re shooting themselves in the foot.

This will be terrible for the EU.

They have made political (and not very bright) appointments to solve a massive logistical challenge and abjectly failed. The ‘mighty’ 27 have been shown to be less than the sum of their parts.

Stella (with a wonderful Psychology degree from Reading) will be slapped down and quietly removed as soon as the row quietens down.

And, as Germany has gone it alone, the criticism of the U.K. will have to be dialled down as papa, who pays the bills for family EU, has gone down the same route as the U.K.

I have always believed the EU (as currently constituted) will inevitably collapse. I was thinking it might be decades away. Now I am thinking within the next decade, and maybe within the next couple of years.

People will blame Brexit and COVID but, ultimately, a catalyst would have come along from somewhere.

The reluctant I agree, I've never seen it respond well to any crisis, the wheels move too slowly, many people get chucked under the bus in the mean time.

Apparently le pen is now neck and neck in popularity polls. Far right is gaining even more traction in the Netherlands etc etc.

Push people too far in one way and they swing back too far the other way!

I am a massive supporter of the EU as a construct for free trade and movement however this project has highlighted all the weaknesses and worst aspects of the current structure. In waiting for the French vaccine they pandered to Macrons vanity and electoral issues, they put the wrong individuals in charge who when things went wrong have lashed out rather than taken a measured approach, this has further angered the Germans who have gone off and done their own thing which has angered the rest .

@Peaseblossom22

I am a massive supporter of the EU as a construct for free trade and movement however this project has highlighted all the weaknesses and worst aspects of the current structure. In waiting for the French vaccine they pandered to Macrons vanity and electoral issues, they put the wrong individuals in charge who when things went wrong have lashed out rather than taken a measured approach, this has further angered the Germans who have gone off and done their own thing which has angered the rest .

I don't know if it was uk mainstream media overplaying macron influence over vaccine orders or not. The UK French relationships has not been great for some time.

I thought the French had 2 potential vaccines but in confused over a 3rd one valneva and wondered if eu had places orders on this vaccine as its being manufactured in Scotland.

valneva.com/research-development/covid-19-vla2001/

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/uk-manufacturing-covid-vaccine-valneva-b906243.html
I read pasteur institute is scrapped
Sannofi which eu placed large order is very delayed and autumn maybe time of delivery.

With regards to Canada thought their vaccines would be made and shipped directly to the states and they had enough are they awaiting a shipment of Oxford Z
AZ too that EU may ban.
Are any other countries waiting for AZ orders made within EU factories as thought they had many factories all over the world.

I do fear the far right will win in France.

Are the Dutch rioting because of lack of vaccine, high deaths or effects on the Dutch economy.
They currently have a caretaker government and are awaiting elections soon.

Whys EU not having a go at phizer for vastly reduced quantities.
Or moderna who won't deliver until at least March as they have exclusive agreement with USA to fulfill their orders first.

@3asAbird yes I know others are having delays as well so they should be taking it up with all ? Think australia have asked eu re: export ban what it means to them.
Some of the wording used by eu hasn't been well thought