Pfizer said many countries were concerned about a temporary reduction in vaccine exports to Europe in early February

Will Europeans be as vulnerable as they are vaccinated? Pfizer, a US laboratory that manufactures Bioentech, one of the two vaccines currently available in Europe against Covit-19, announced on Friday 15 January calls for a temporary reduction in the supply of new quantities to countries on the continent. “Late January to early February”. He explains this decision as a result of the work done to increase the productivity of the Powers plant in Belgium.

Changes to be made in the production structure “Additional regulatory approvals required” May be accordingly “Fluctuations in the Future Order and Distribution Schedule at the Powers Plant”, The company explains in a message sent to AFP.

“This will allow for a significant increase in the amounts available to patients at the end of February and March.”Pfizer told Reuters this time, in another statement.

The company recalls its new goal of producing 2 billion doses of this vaccine by 2021, up from 1.3 billion previously. This was announced by its German partner Bioendech, which is preparing to open a new plant in Germany in February.

“I immediately called Pfizer’s CEO (…) and he assured me that he would guarantee all sizes for the first three months. [à destination de pays de l’UE] Offered in the first quarter “, European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen told a news conference in Lisbon. This means that delays in late January and early February must be offset by the end of March.

“It is not questionable that 500 will be delivered to France next week 000 additional levels ” Pfizer / Bioentech vaccine, plus 1.6 It pledges to Francinefo, with the entourage of Health Minister Oliver Varan, who already owns millions. Reminds me that this evidence is not a question “Total stop” Distributions But “retards”.

“This sharp fall will force the government to adjust the pace of vaccinations in the coming weeks. The conditions for this arrangement will be specified once France knows exactly the size of future deliveries,” he said. Contacted Elysee, who later joined France Televisions.

In Germany, the Ministry of Health said “Please note with regret this unexpected and very short-term contact” From the European Commission and Pfizer, the distribution schedule was established until mid-February. Meanwhile, the health ministers of six EU countries, namely Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden, expressed their views. “Serious Anxiety” Regarding the circumstances in which they judge “Unacceptable” They believe it is harmful “Reliability of the vaccination process”.

Pfizer did not say how much the temporary reduction in deliveries would be. Norway, which is not a member of the European Union, will also be affected, which explains why it expects a 17.8% drop in the amount it receives during this period.

The exact timing of the disruptions is also unclear. Germany marks a period “Three to four weeks”. “Some were given 8 deadlines February 2021, others have no information on the expected fall in deliveries “, Describe the six Baltic and Scandinavian countries of the European Union for their part.