EU threaten to cut off vaccine supply to the UK 2

[Baileysforchristmas]

As the other thread is full

www.politico.eu/article/commission-proposes-six-week-vaccine-export-ban-amid-fears-of-trade-war/

The AZ CEO Pascal soriot is now flying to europe from his base in australia . Wonder what thats abour really.
Maybe he's coming to get his jab that the Italians took hostage.

@notimagain I think you are - very deliberately - missing the point. The UK cant bail the EU out of it's vaccine crisis yet, we dont currently manufacture vaccines in large numbers. Therefore what is necessary is for production to increase in the EU factories where yields are currently low.

And since the vaccines dont immediately prevent hospitalisations and deaths you have to either lockdown or pray that improving weather does help with covid infection.

There may be some rapid Brexiteers who would be delighted to see the EU in a mess but many people here realise that what we all need is vaccines in arms everywhere we can get them. That is why the British government funded research and development of a cheap vaccine that can be produced and used worldwide. India is producing billions of vaccines for the world because Britain funded that research and development.

rabid not rapid.

I'm really hoping there's some good diplomacy happening behind the scenes.

If the EU block vaccines it will backfire on them, the international supply chain they rely upon will be placed at risk and the international pharmaceutical industry are looking closely, too much state interference and they'll invest elsewhere. India appear able to be long term winners here.

It's very much in UK interests for EU to get vaccines sorted and very much not in EU interests to start blocking exports.

How politicians appear in their national press however is quite a different thing. Macron definitely doesn't seem to be doing well on any count, but if the credible alternative is Le Penn god help us all.

Macron is more concerned with the election than the health of his population. Germany is worried about elections and how much money the drug companies can make. No-one in the EU seems to be actually looking at whether anything can be done to increase vaccine production.

Meanwhile the uk sends people to the Dutch factory to see if they can help increase production, goes on with trying to expand manufacturing capacity here, sends two things necessary for the supply and distribution of Pfizer to Europe and continues the Recovery trial to test new treatments.

I am not sure that India are long term winners since they are also blocking vaccines atm (I am not talking about vaccines to the UK, I am talking about vaccines to developing nations that they are not fulfilling)

@LimitIsUp

I am not sure that India are long term winners since they are also blocking vaccines atm (I am not talking about vaccines to the UK, I am talking about vaccines to developing nations that they are not fulfilling)

They have been really clear why too! The same reason the UK AZ plant fulfils it's UK contract before moving on to others.

It's no different and any sensible government does what the UK government did when first told about the temporary hold up from India: OK! Is there anything we can do to help? And tell your populace that all is well, it's another of those lumpy supply moments, all will soon be back on track!

The Guardian reporting :
Japan’s vaccine minister has had some strong words over the nation’s relationship with the EU, with vaccine exports becoming a source of some friction. Taro Kono urged the European Union to ensure stable exports of European-made vaccines, warning that any attempt to suspend shipments amid a shortage in Europe would harm relations
Despite the Japanese government’s repeated request for the EU to grant a bulk approval for exports of the Pfizer vaccine, the only vaccine approved so far in Japan, the EU only grants approval per shipment, which causes supply uncertainty, Kono said.
Japan’s domestic vaccine development has lagged behind other nations, leaving it reliant on imports. But sourcing enough imported vaccines is a major concern because of supply shortages and export red tape in Europe, where many are manufactured..

I didnt realise Japan was importing vaccines as well

The problem with EU is mix short term thinking, panic mode and trying to deflect thier own political problems on Germany and France.

Im sure i read just France alone has 10% of either Brazilian or south African varient.
I don't know how great France or other member states genome sequencing is.
We know Denmark has strong genome sequencing.
If they not sequencing who knows how prevalent the other varients will be.

I am right in thinking az, pfizer and moderna are 1st generation vaccines

So maybe not as great towards new varients with e448k sequencing.
In the UK we already been told booster shots in autumn.
We know norovax has been tested on new varient yet they reluctant to do a deal with eu

I know we sent a team to halix on Netherlands.
But I thought last few weeks UK also sent a team to Belgium to help them.
I thought I read we helping some eu members states out with genome sequencing.
We been sending components for pfizer.
I don't know how UK could have been more helpful.
Neither UK or eu sites can magic up enough doses to help them.
They seem think halix is sat on millions but I reality won't be a game changer and its too as takes weeks after jab gain immunity.
I don't know why they can't see this won't solve thier immediate issues.
Some of which are members states fault for slow rollout.
I hope the French,Italian and German citizens can see through this poor behaviour and hold no malice towards the UK and that its politicians putting careers over lives.
We know how the new varient played out here it wasn't pretty.
At one point we had 60k cases a day and nearly 2k deaths.
Did Europe not see that and get worried.
France was on 37k infections yesterday and we don't know how good thier testing is.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/14485032/threat-third-covid-wave-south-african-variant-ravages-europe/?utm_medium=browser_notifications&utm_source=pushly

When it comes to new vaccines 2nd gen eu may struggle get contracts.
They are damaging thier own pharmaceutical industry.
The French say usa stole their best scientist.
If they don't listen or invest in thier own science then no wonder they go elsewhere.
I mean the age range around az total mess in France not to be used on elderly now only to be used on elderly.
They massively undermined the EMA and the WHO

As for we had a tip off there maybe vaccines on a bottling factory hilarious.
This guy who's now in charge EU vaccines has not exactly done anything meaningful to increase supply hes just shouted at az and done negative press reviews and ordered pointless raids .

I hope az consulting lawyers as surely eu breeches terms of thier own contract with smear campaign, suspending it and raids on private factories.
We know the row over how much is in halix will kick off.
Its quite possible a number of different countries vaccine orders are awaiting shipment and eu wants to take it all.

I know we do genome sequencing for other countries, a friend's newly qualified daughter works in one of the labs doing it!

There was an anouncement about it January

www.healthcareitnews.com/news/emea/uk-share-genomics-expertise-identify-covid-19-variants

Not sure its quite so straightforward Curious

This from the Times a couple of days ago:

A health ministry source [from India] told The Times: “Other countries will get supplies only if there are vaccines left over after keeping enough for our own population.”

Gavi, the international vaccine alliance, warned that the export ban would affect the UN-backed Covax scheme, which tries to ensure that poorer countries receive at least two billion Covid-19 vaccine doses this year. Covax has so far received 17.7 million AstraZeneca doses from SII, of the 60.5 million doses India has shipped in total. Many countries are relying on the programme.

K Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India, said the effect of the government’s action would affect global supplies for longer than predicted.

International health officials have warned that export controls risk more damage in the long run. John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said there was “absolutely no need for us as humanity to go into a vaccine war to fight this pandemic. We will all be losers.”

But honestly given everything that is at stake, can anyone be really that surprised that each government wants to vaccinate their population?

The damage that covid is doing, I think it is to be expected to be honest. Not ideal, of course in an ideal world countries would share out the vaccine equally and across the whole planet, but that is not how life works at all.

@LimitIsUp I meant more the immediate reaction to the Indian government's decision. Matt Hancock refused to say that it was India that was causing supply issues here, it took a couple of days before he said as much, allowing Serum II and the Indian government to speak first. He was much maligned for it, but I personally can't see what he did was wrong, it was certainly more dignified than the reaction of others!

We can only really expect individual countries with manufacturing sites to protect their own population first. THAT itself is an issue we can all undertsand. It's the reaction to that that makes a big difference. Stirring up anxiety and nationalistic antagonism doesn't get anything sorted and only causes more internal strife, reducing vaccine uptake, as we have seen!

I've said this many times here, and in real life - I am an ex teacher so you can imagine how hard this is for me to say out loud - some of the posturings across the EU and European leaders have actually made Johnson and The Goviot look dignified, reasonable, diplomatic!

Switzerland 🇨🇭 interesting
They behind but ahead of eu
They haven't authorised az at all so they steering clear of that row.
Reading between lines supply is issue not logistics of rollout.

www.expatica.com/ch/latest-news/sw-number-of-covid-19-vaccinations-rises-in-switzerland-201943/

This was also really good article which explains delays with various vaccines.

lenews.ch/2021/03/12/covid-why-is-vaccination-progress-so-slow-in-switzerland/

Apart from Moderna in partnership with lonza does Switzerland make any other vaccines.

Also apart from az we don't make any others and when I say we I mean a private company within UK.
Glazing is working with French sanofi thats delayed.
Norovax will be made here but its American.
Valneva is French / swedish I think made Scotland and not sure Europe done a deal with them.

Think Biden has sensibly offered vaccine to neighbours Mexico and Canada.

A lot of 3rd countries are vulnerable to eu export its not just USA they upsetting.
Canada/ Australia/ new Zealand, Japan some parts of far east.
Given we did a trade deal with Japan maybe UK can step in and help Japan and Ireland once UK done as well as other common wealth countries.

I think there scope for UK work on more trade deals not necessarily USA because of the way EU is behaving .

USA has had an export ban on vaccines and components since the beginning. Their components ban is the reason for the ban in India.

@LenaBlack

USA has had an export ban on vaccines and components since the beginning. Their components ban is the reason for the ban in India.

Which is, as it turns out, another good reason for reacting as the UK government did!

This is very much a global merry go round. A stoppage anywhere causes issues all over the place!

Anoher reason not to understand the EU stance!

These links interesting Switzerland a country we hear very little about

They are being excluded along with uk and Israel to do major scientific project research .

sciencebusiness.net/framework-programmes/news/israel-switzerland-and-uk-face-exclusion-major-eu-quantum-and-space.

The eu blocked ppe and ventilators to 🇨🇭

www.swissinfo.ch/eng/coronavirus_medical-goods-from-the-eu-remain-blocked/45642340

I had no idea they so small 8.6 million population would be fairly quick vaccinate everyone if they had supplies.

Think Johnson and Johnson also being produced in Switzerland.

Is the eu as block becoming more nationalistic and less competitive .

Bloody hell! What are they doing? My bold -

The proposed move, which came from the European Commission and is now under discussion by member states, was greeted with dismay and sadness from researchers and officials, who said curbs would hurt all of Europe.

@CuriousaboutSamphire

Bloody hell! What are they doing? My bold -

The proposed move, which came from the European Commission and is now under discussion by member states, was greeted with dismay and sadness from researchers and officials, who said curbs would hurt all of Europe.

So its not just covid vaccines They blocked ppe exports they seem fail to remember that. It is odd how protectionist the eu commission direction is going in. I feel future science is Europe is in a bad way. All under leadership of udvl.

[quote CuriousaboutSamphire]I know we do genome sequencing for other countries, a friend's newly qualified daughter works in one of the labs doing it!

There was an anouncement about it January

www.healthcareitnews.com/news/emea/uk-share-genomics-expertise-identify-covid-19-variants[/quote]
www.cogconsortium.uk/cog-uk-first-anniversary-timeline/

This is remarkable.....

It's in the nature of economic blocs/tariff-barriers to be anti free trade.

They blocked ventilators!!

Seriously this is far worse than we realised.

@BigWoollyJumpers Bloody hell! That graphic! That REALLY is remarkable!

Utterly wondrous how they did all of that so fast!

@Itsalonghaul

They blocked ventilators!!

Seriously this is far worse than we realised.

Yes! Whilst UK journalists were abusing the government for not joining the EU procurement they seemed to miss the early blocks - except the ones that the UK imposed of course!

We banned some stuff, every country did. But there was a pattern in what we were shown in the dailies... still is!

If a contract is signed then a contract is signed....just because the EU don't like it and want the vaccine.... not very business like is it - sour grapes etc.