Covid: Australia has blamed the European Union for delaying its vaccination campaign

The European Union (EU) has decided to impose stricter restrictions on the export of vaccines in its position with AstraZeneca. However, on the other side of the world, in Australia, the vaccine campaign is slipping. So Prime Minister Scott Morrison made a connection between European restrictions and the delay in the vaccination campaign in his country.

The Conservative leader cited a shortage of vaccines and the EU’s “strict export control”, explaining that his country had received only 700,000 doses by ordering 3.8 million vials of the Oxford / Astrogenega vaccine. “3.1 million vaccines have not reached Australia,” he said. “There is no argument, no conflict, no fighting, no conflict. This is a simple observation. “

Not blocked according to the EU

The European Commission, which has faced instructions from Scott Morrison, has denied any wrongdoing. Its spokesman Eric Mammer told reporters that “there is only one export demand that we have blocked.” The 250,000 dose for Australia was blocked in Italy in early March . “Then there were no other improvements,” Eric Mammer said. “We cannot confirm any decision to stop the export of vaccines to Australia,” he said.

Asked by Reuters on Tuesday, AstraZeneca did not comment on the report. The EU has not received all the promised amounts Issued by AstraZeneca. In the first quarter of 2021, only 30 million of the promised 120 million were delivered. As of March 31, almost 100 million doses had been given to the EU instead of nearly 200.

Very late Australian campaign

Australia has so far established A “Zero-Govt” strategy It was based on local imprisonment of a few days after some new cases were discovered to prevent the spread of the virus. But despite the government’s promise to deliver four million doses by the end of March, only 920,000 injections were made on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister has said that Australia has received 870,000 doses of the Pfizer / Bioentech vaccine for leading workers. Officials rely mainly on imports of AstraZeneca vaccines and locally made dosages.

With agencies