Coronavirus Covid-19: EU Commission, 47.5 billion euros allocated to research. Scientists at work to fight the epidemic

(Brussels) The EU Commission has allocated another 37.5 billion euros, in addition to the previous 10 million, to urgent research into the development of vaccines against Covid-19 and the treatment and diagnosis of such virus. “Such initiative – the EU Executive writes in a release – is part of the EU’s coordinated response to the public health threat” that is coronavirus. With such additional funds from the Horizon 2020 programme, the EU Commission increases the amount of its funds to 47.5 million euros. “So 17 projects could be selected that involve 136 research teams from all over the EU and beyond, who will start working at the development of vaccines, new treatments, diagnostic tests and medical devices to prevent coronavirus from spreading”. The Commissioner in charge of research, Mariya Gabriel, states: “Through the emergency funds from Horizon 2020, research workers can instantly get down to work and fight the coronavirus epidemic on multiple fronts. Seeing the research community getting so quickly down to work gives us new hope that we will soon get close to the goal of stopping the virus from spreading”.
Valentina Bombelli