There's another vaccine! And we've got 60 million shots! And it's made here!

[HelloThereMeHearties]

And it's effective against the new UK variant!

And it will really wind the EU up!!!

Novavax has passed its stage three trial, now hopefully the MHRA will approve it!!!

@IheartJKR

I have no doubt in my mind that after the British government due their duty which is to ensure its citizens have the vaccine - that all our efforts as a country will be mobilised to making sure we do everything we can to help our European neighbours and the rest of the world. The EU officials behaviour is a total disgrace right now.

I agree. I think Britain will help the EU and send over vaccines but they are quite rightly prioritising their own people. What other country wouldn’t do that?!

The folk shouting that when we’ve given our most vulnerable the vaccine, we should give the rest away - well that’s all well and good in theory, but if we don’t bother vaccinating the under 50’s say, and they catch it, they can still transmit it to those that the vaccine doesn’t fully protect.

None of them are 100% effective, so the more people are vaccinated, the less chance of them passing it on to the 11% Tver vaccine won’t work for.

Hardly an I'm alright Jack response with a large conglomerate with 27 counties resources to pull on, we are not talking about a struggling third world country are we?

Can't the eu look after themselves, do they really need our help!

@RedToothBrush

Its bloody great news for everyone.

Absolutely!

@wuwubaba

I think the EU officials have a lot to answer for.

One crucial question: why dint they placed the order earlier, instead of dithering about.

If i was an EU citizen, I will be questioning what these pen pushers are doing.

The answer to your question is that Germany and Holland's health ministers, together with two or three others from EU countries, did approach AZ last summer and were in the process of procuring enough doses for every EU country. The EU got wind of this and stopped them, insisting that they took charge of the procurement process instead. In this they were aided and abetted by Angela Merkel, who was taking over for Germany's six month term in the Presidency last July, and wanted to send a powerful signal of EU unity. The EU procurement team then fannied about for the next three months, arguing re price and wanting less rigorous contractual committments.

It is this and the EU's political grandstanding (together with Macron lionising the french vaccine that has not worked) that has meant they are at least three months later on in the process than they needed to be. Their production is not yet up to speed because they are not getting the yield they want when producing the vaccine. This was a problem in the UK too in the early stages but they have had that extra three months to refine the process which is why things are now running smoothly here.

The EU have massively cocked this up and have betrayed their citizens who were entitled to expect far better. However, to demand that the UK start giving up their vaccines and sacrificing British lives while simultaneously kicking AZ who have done an amazing job is the wrong way to go about things. If you need help it is usually better to ask nicely.

I was reading widely in the international press about this yesterday. It was interesting how many readers of the Frankfurter Allgemeine were commenting that the EU had made a massive hash of things and were now looking for somebody else to blame, despite some less than transparent reporting in places over there. The EU are very frightened at the current situation and their citizens are rightly angry.

[quote Parker231]@IheartJKR - the U.K. has been greedy. It has reversed enough vaccines for three doses for everyone. Thankfully the drug companies have agreed to divert over 60% of the vaccines to poorer countries.[/quote]
It’d be a cold day in hell before I’d be happy with us sitting fat on top of a bunch of vaccines while poor nations suffered without it. So if we over ordered by belts and bracing it in the initial stages then I’m glad its being redirected to whom needs it.

My fury is pointedly about a wealthy but egotistical, self important bureaucratic organisation that has failed its citizens and is now directing its anger and blame towards us as a result.

We are but responsible for the European Union’s failure to act appropriately.

@veeeeh

Well done to UK for vaccinating so many. But honestly the exceptionalism and hubris is disgusting IMV. Get the flags out and sing Rule Brittania.

Think of others now and then, thanks.

Get down from your high moral ground for a moment and consider how you would feel if your family and friends died because we sent our vaccines to another country.

We need to look after our own first and then look further afield.

Table I don't think they would accept our help, imagine the pr!

Nor should they ask for it when there are many places who really struggle, places where children get no school, no tech, no vaccines, no wondeful hospitals..

@avonklok az is only partly british and the eu money was to set up manufacturing in the eu , not the uk plants as such
The reality everyone needs to remember though is we need to all be working together on this, often components for vaccinations come from various sources.
I think what got peoples back up was the threat to maybe hold the pfizer back when the uk has a contract for that and the az and eu contract was not the uk's fault or business really .
Threatening Holding back another vaccine do that contract would be broken jusg doesn't seem the way to fix it.
Slightly wrong use if words gets the media into a frenzy which they can then twist and munipulate

[quote Parker231]@TableFlowerss - they can’t - they are poor countries and this will affect the U.K. for years.[/quote]
What do you mean, they can’t, they are poor countries are you talking about the poorer countries in the EU or poor countries in general

If you were talking in general then I apologise as I misunderstood. All richer nations should be doing what they can to protect the poor countries.

Ie helping them finance the vaccine etc

I'm sure it would be totally different if it was the other way around....

I think the EU need to look at the mistakes they've made in obtaining vaccines and learn from it rather than try to punish us for leaving by diverting vaccines that they haven't even approved away from us. I always thought with Farage that as a nation we looked so childish and pathetic to the EU but I think they're just as petty themselves. We all need to concentrate on getting as many people vaccinated in the world as possible and stop all the petty squabbling.

@penguinice the thing is I don't think uk will of done vulnerable with two doses until about may time , which by that time hopefully supplies would be much better
On the face of it we have vaccinated large numbers but mostly with one dose and we are spacing outs out way longer so like my nan her second dose is due mid - end april

@IheartJKR

I have no doubt in my mind that after the British government due their duty which is to ensure its citizens have the vaccine - that all our efforts as a country will be mobilised to making sure we do everything we can to help our European neighbours and the rest of the world. The EU officials behaviour is a total disgrace right now.

Agreed. It’s like the plane analogy - you are always told during the safety briefing to put your own oxygen mask on before helping anyone else. That is what the UK are doing.

All of which aside, this is not a UK v EU problem it is an Astra Zeneca v EU issue, it is the EU that have dragged the UK into the argument.

To use another analogy if you ordered a brand new car and another customer ordered the same car a few weeks later, only to find there was a production delay, that customer has absolutely no argument with you - their argument is with the car dealership. And they certainly have no right to try and claim the car you ordered!

The UK has behaved with dignity and done absolutely nothing wrong.

The internet's a wonderful thing. You can make outrageously improbable statements and people can believe you typed them with a straight face.

@Hopeisnotastrategy

*The answer to your question is that Germany and Holland's health ministers, together with two or three others from EU countries, did approach AZ last summer and were in the process of procuring enough doses for every EU country. The EU got wind of this and stopped them, insisting that they took charge of the procurement process instead. In this they were aided and abetted by Angela Merkel, who was taking over for Germany's six month term in the Presidency last July, and wanted to send a powerful signal of EU unity. The EU procurement team then fannied about for the next three months, arguing re price and wanting less rigorous contractual committments.

It is this and the EU's political grandstanding (together with Macron lionising the french vaccine that has not worked) that has meant they are at least three months later on in the process than they needed to be. Their production is not yet up to speed because they are not getting the yield they want when producing the vaccine. This was a problem in the UK too in the early stages but they have had that extra three months to refine the process which is why things are now running smoothly here.

The EU have massively cocked this up and have betrayed their citizens who were entitled to expect far better. However, to demand that the UK start giving up their vaccines and sacrificing British lives while simultaneously kicking AZ who have done an amazing job is the wrong way to go about things. If you need help it is usually better to ask nicely.

I was reading widely in the international press about this yesterday. It was interesting how many readers of the Frankfurter Allgemeine were commenting that the EU had made a massive hash of things and were now looking for somebody else to blame, despite some less than transparent reporting in places over there. The EU are very frightened at the current situation and their citizens are rightly angry*

This ^^ is EXACTLY what has happened and I’ve been unable to explain so clearly.

This should be pinned at the top of the page!!

A lot of poorer countries are run by corrupt governments/leaders. You can bet any vaccines diverted to the countries will not be given to the poor, but will end up being shared out amongst their very rich and privileged family and friends.

I agree with this and find the implications that your mental health is suspect because you said it, rather disgusting

I know.

But honestly, why bother to pick apart an argument you disagree with, or put a counter argument across, when you can just insult someone instead. 🤷‍♀️

@baroqueandblue

The UK has behaved with dignity and done absolutely nothing wrong.

The internet's a wonderful thing. You can make outrageously improbable statements and people can believe you typed them with a straight face.

What have they done wrong?

The pp was talking about mudslinging. Have they done this?

Also on bigger issue what do you think U.K. has done wrong

And the position the EU are now in with vaccines demonstrates exactly their approach to everything - pontificating and arsing about amongst their top heavy hierarchy instead of getting things done. So glad we’re out of that particular circus.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is lurking in the wings somewhere too so hopefully that will come online some time this year.

We clearly do need to make sure that no-one sits on vaccines needlessly but we are a long way off that at the moment. As is frequently stated we have a terribly high rate of infections here compared to other countries and vaccines are the only way out. We are also ridiculously over-borrowed as a country now and there has to be an end in sight for that too. Getting the population vaccinated is also the best way to stop further mutations within the UK so I think our current policy of ploughing ahead with vaccinations is the right one.

As soon as we have vaccinated all over 18s we should free up any over supply and my understanding is that this is already the plan.

As to the legalities, AZ are big boys with lawyers on call and will do what they are legally obliged to do. I do think the EU have let themselves down a bit by alternately slagging off the AZ vaccine then demanding it be diverted to them, it is all a bit childish really, but leave them to it.

@SaraGilbert I thought i read they are looking to see if they can tweak/ produce one against sa one
But I suppose 50% protection is better than 0% whilst that happens

Novavax won’t arrive to mid year anyway. And SA variant may be more prominent by then. It’s been tested afaik not sure on their vaccines

KB put together a good vaccine strategy. It’s crucial even if people derided it earlier. We also had to be nimble and offer more to get amount - worth listening to interview this morning.

The eu officials are clearly playing politics with az. Shifting blame as people are pretty frustrated. It’s a political anxiety attack. Not nice to watch.

However I think many eu countries will quickly catch up on the vaccine rate come April, and fortunately the infection rate is much lower so the human cost smaller even with the delayed rollout in the EU. It is a mistake on the eu’s part to erect trade barriers over a short term supply issue.

@baroqueandblue

The UK has behaved with dignity and done absolutely nothing wrong.

The internet's a wonderful thing. You can make outrageously improbable statements and people can believe you typed them with a straight face.

Matt Hancocks ner nerr ner nerrr ner moment on twitter was priceless and indeed completely dignified and necessary.