The European Union is poised to approve the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine this week, according to Hanno Kautz, a spokesman for the German health ministry. The anticipated approval marks a crucial development in the EU's efforts to combat the ongoing pandemic through widespread vaccination. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has been reviewing the vaccine since January 12.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has engaged in discussions with AstraZeneca's chief executive, Pascal Soriot, emphasizing the EU's expectation that the company will adhere to the pre-purchase agreement's contractual arrangements. This communication follows the EU's expression of "deep dissatisfaction" after AstraZeneca informed them that vaccine shipments to member countries would be delayed until after the first three months of 2021.
The AstraZeneca vaccine, developed in collaboration with the University of Oxford, is estimated to be approximately 62 percent effective against COVID-19. The vaccine has already been approved for emergency use in the United Kingdom.
