COVID-19 Coronavirus: Von der Leyen on vaccines with Pfizer and BioNTech. Contracts for up to 300 million doses, 13% to Italy.  “In the meantime, stay safe”

“A safe and effective vaccine is our best chance to beat coronavirus and return to our normal lives”. This is what European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on the authorisation of the contract for vaccines with Pfizer and BioNTech. “In the past months, the European Commission has been working tirelessly to secure doses of potential vaccines. And tomorrow we will authorise a contract for up to 300 million doses of the vaccine developed by German company BioNTech and Pfizer. This is the most promising vaccine so far”. Once this vaccine becomes available, “our plan - Von der Leyen said - is to deploy it quickly, everywhere in Europe. This will be the fourth contract with a pharmaceutical company to buy vaccines. And more will come. Because we need to have a broad portfolio of vaccines based on different technologies”. Also: “We have already started working with Member States to prepare national vaccination campaigns. In the meantime, let us be prudent, and stay safe” by following all precautionary measures taken by EU Member States. “The doses will be distributed on a population-based pro-rata basis among the 27 EU Member States”, the Commission explained. Italy should get approximately 13% of the doses.
Gianni Borsa